UK: Rape trial collapse over undisclosed sex messages blamed on police funding cuts

Article here. Excerpt:

'Police funding cuts have been partly blamed for the collapse of a rape trial amid fears over potential miscarriages of justice.

A judge threw out the charges against 22-year-old Liam Allan after lawyers discovered messages showing the claimant wanted and enjoyed the sex she later claimed was non-consensual.

Mr Allan had been on bail for almost two years by the time the discovery was made, three days into his trial at Croydon Crown Court.

The messages had been obtained by police when they downloaded the contents of the woman’s phone, but investigators later told the lawyers they contained nothing relevant.
...
Mr Allan was charged with six counts of rape and six of sexual assault after the woman reported him to police, claiming their relationship was unhappy and abusive, and she did not want sex.

“These messages said quite the contrary – that she was extremely happy for the defendant to come back to her after they broke up and extremely happy with the sex,” Ms Smart said.'

Like0 Dislike0