A man accused of rape has been acquitted after a mixed jury deliberated for about four hours in the High Court.

The case, stemming from an alleged incident on 30 March 2020, hinged on conflicting accounts. The complainant said she became intoxicated after a night out and was assaulted while resting in a vehicle. However, the accused’s girlfriend, who was also present, testified that no such act occurred.

Prosecutors claimed a later sexual encounter between the pair was non-consensual, while the defence maintained it was consensual. During the trial, inconsistencies emerged in the complainant’s statements, including the timing of a text message she said she sent that night.

After hearing closing arguments, the jury found the defendant not guilty of rape and serious indecency.