A CLAPHAM MAN WAS CLEARED OF RAPE AFTER THE JURY

A CLAPHAM MAN WAS CLEARED OF RAPE AFTER THE JURY HEARD HE WAS

NOT THE MAN WHO TRICKED HIS WAY INTO HIS VICTIM’S HOME BY PRETENDING

HE HAD LEFT HIS KEYS THERE.

MR RICHARD BLOOMFIELD, DEFENDING, TOLD A JURY AT ACTON CROWN

COURT THAT HIS CLIENT HAD BEEN ARRESTED BY MISTAKE THREE MONTHS AFTER

THE RAPE WHEN THE VICTIM IDENTIFIED HIM FROM PHOTOGRAPHS.

THE 22-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FIRST MET THE MAN WHO RAPED HER WHEN HE

JOINED A GROUP OF HER FRIENDS WHO WENT TO HER BRIXTON FLAT AFTER

LEAVING A PARTY, SAID MR CHARLES TILLING PROSECUTING.

HE LEFT THE GROUP LATER THAT NIGHT WHEN SHE AND HER FRIENDS

RETURNED TO THE PARTY IN CLAPHAM.

BUT AROUND 4 PM THE NEXT AFTERNOON THE MAN KNOCKED AT HER DOOR

AND CLAIMED HIS KEYS WERE IN HER FLAT, COUNSEL SAID.

‘HE FORCED HIS WAY IN, THREATENED HER, STRUCK HER, AND FORCED

HER TO HAVE INTERCOURSE WITH HIM AGAINST HER WILL.

SHE WAS CRYING

AND UPSET’, MR TILLING SAID.

HE ORDERED HER INTO HER BEDROOM AFTER ATTEMPTING TO
STRANGLE HER AND BEATING HER WHERE HE MADE THE TERRIFIED WOMAN
CARRY OUT SEX ACTS BEFORE RAPING HER, COUNSEL ALLEGED.

THE MAN ALSO TORE A GOLD BRACELET FROM HER BEFORE
LEAVING, MAKING A FINAL THREAT TO RETURN THE NEXT DAY.

AFTER HE
LEFT THE VICTIM FOUND HER KEYS WERE MISSING, THE JURY HEARD.

A FRIEND FOUND THE WOMAN, WHO IS UNEMPLOYED, IN HER FLAT,
STILL DISTRESSED BY HER ORDEAL, THE JURY HEARD.

SHE WAS BRUISED AND SCRATCHED ABOUT THE FACE AND BODY
FROM THE RAPIST’S BLOWS, COUNSEL ADDED.

WHEN HE WAS ARRESTED MONTHS LATER THE DEFENDANT DENIED
EVER MEETING THE VICTIM OR BEING IN HER FLAT.

BUT HE AGREED HE HAD A NICKNAME, WHICH WAS THE SAME AS
THE RAPIST’S NICKNAME, COUNSEL SAID.

THE UNEMPLOYED CLAPHAM MAN, 23, WAS ACQUITTED BY THE JURY
OF RAPE AND THEFT OF A CHAIN AND KEYS FROM THE VICTIM ON
DECEMBER 29 LAST YEAR, AND ACQUITTED BY DIRECTION OF JUDGE ISRAEL
FINESTEIN QC OF INDECENT ASSAULT.

ENDS.