Rachel Scott secures rape acquittal for defendant who had made admissions to the offences.

Rachel Scott secured acquittals for a defendant who faced a 10-count indictment containing offences of coercive and controlling behaviour, sexual assault, assault by penetration and multiple incident counts of rape. 

The offences were said to have taken place when the defendant was aged between 15 and 19 years of age. 

The defendant was diagnosed with autism and required the assistance of an intermediary during the trial. 

The crown produced text messages and snapchat messages which they said evidenced the defendant admitting to rape on three separate occasions. The defence argued that due to the defendant’s learning difficulties the messages could not be relied upon as proper admissions. 

Following a 7 day trial before HHJ Thackray KC the defendant was acquitted of all the counts he faces.