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General News TV actor cleared of raping 14-year-old boy

Discussion in 'Current Events, World News, & LGBT News' started by Dublin Boy, Mar 26, 2013.

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  1. Dublin Boy

    Dublin Boy Guest

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    A young television actor has been cleared of raping a 14-year-old boy.

    Blackfriars Crown Court heard claims the star, who cannot be identified because of his age, "bullied" his alleged victim and used him "for a sexual game".

    The prosecution said he attacked the boy to prove to his girlfriend that he was bisexual.

    However, the defendant claimed their sexual activity was consensual.

    After almost five hours of deliberation, the jury cleared him of the charges he faced, which were three counts of sexual assault and one of oral rape.

    The court heard claims the actor twice attacked the teenager at a theatre, once while his girlfriend was present.

    It was also alleged he held the complainant's hands together with just one hand while they were in a toilet at school and performed a sex act on him.

    The complainant, who was 14 at the time of the alleged incidents, collapsed in the witness box as he gave evidence last Monday.

    'Excruciatingly embarrassing'
    Prosecutor Timothy Forster, in his closing speech, asked the jury to consider why the alleged victim would make up the sexual assaults, considering the visible strain he went through while giving evidence.

    Defence counsel Judith Khan QC said in her speech: "There is a natural reaction of sympathy to someone who reacts to giving evidence in that way.

    "But it is important to bear in mind that that reaction is not an indicator of truthfulness. A witness who may be lying or dishonest may react in the same way."

    She said the actor had told the truth in denying the charges.

    "He volunteered the detail, it must have been excruciatingly embarrassing for him to give the detail, but give it he did," she said.

    BBC News - TV actor cleared of raping 14-year-old boy
     
    #1 Dublin Boy, Mar 26, 2013
  2. Fugs

    Fugs
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    Idk what to think of this, it's not clear to me whether he really was lying or not; and if he wasn't did he falsely confess that he lied or are they just assuming?
     
    #2 Fugs, Mar 26, 2013
  3. Dublin Boy

    Dublin Boy Guest

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    Does the fact that he was cleared, mean that he was innocent or could the fact that he was in a popular soap & the fact that he was an actor, whose performance under cross examination may have been worthy of an Oscar, mean that he just simply got away with it & the 14 year old is no longer seen as the victim but a liar?
     
    #3 Dublin Boy, Mar 27, 2013
  4. silkfrog1292

    silkfrog1292
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    I presume this is a criminal trial. I did some research and found that there would not be a Jury in a youth court. In this case, since Juries being the participants to a trial that would most likely be influence by the factors you've said would not be there, I believe the fact he was an actor would not have made much of a difference.

    In addition, for serious cases such as these I believe there would be a bench trial, presides over by three Judges. Judges are experienced and trained people, and it's not that easy to lie to them and be expected to get away with it.

    My guess is that, the evidence was either insufficient or that the witness's testimony was blotchy due to time or memory loss, and as the result was unable to convince the judge of the defendant's guilt. In addition, it could be argued that due to the extreme trauma suffered by the victim he may have imagined some of the alleged assaults.

    ________________________________________________________________

    Whoops, I was wrong. The Defendant was tried at a crown court, which means there would be a Jury. In this case then I believe your hypothesis was most likely right.
     
    #4 silkfrog1292, Mar 27, 2013
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