Student’s rape trial collapses because police 'sat on evidence proving his innocence'
A student says he has suffered "mental torture" after a rape case against him was thrown out in court.
Liam Allan, 22, escaped conviction, after continually pleading his innocence, because police failed to hand over more then 40,000 message from his accuser that showed he wasn't the man he was made out to be.
Allan had spent nearly two years on bail and three days in Croydon Crown Court in the UK before the trial was stopped immediately, The Times UK reports.
He was facing up to 10 years in jail charged with six counts of rape and six counts of sexual assault against a young woman over a 14-month period that began when he was 19.
The alleged victim had claimed she did not enjoy sex, while Mr Allan claimed it was consensual and she was acting maliciously because he refused to see her after he returned to university.
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The judge has now called for an inquiry to understand why police failed to hand over evidence of 40,000 messages that proved Allan's innocence.
The messages detailed how the accuser had continually messaged Allan for “casual sex”, said how much she enjoyed it and discussed fantasies of violent sex and rape.
Allan said he went through “mental torture” outside court, adding that he felt alone.
"I could not talk to my mother about the details of the case because she might have been called as a witness. I couldn’t talk with my friends because they might have been called. I felt completely isolated at every stage of the process,” he said.
“I can’t explain the mental torture of the past two years. ... I feel betrayed by the system which I had believed would do the right thing, the system I want to work in.”
Prosecutor Jerry Hayes - who took over the case one day before the trial began and ordered police to hand over records - said the failure in disclosure was "inexcusable".
“There could have been a serious miscarriage of justice, which could have led to a very significant period of imprisonment and life on the sex offenders register," he said.
"It appears the officer in the case has not reviewed the disk, which is quite appalling.”
Mr Allan’s defence lawyer Julia Smart said she also received details about the text messages and when she told the court of her findings the trial was scrapped.
Allan’s mum, Lorraine Allan, 46, said the “current climate” means that many people are treated as “guilty until you can prove you’re innocent.”
