TWO young Newent men accused of raping the same young girl within weeks of each other were both cleared by a Gloucester Crown Court jury today, Thursday, September 22.
The jurors, six men and six women, took less than an hour to find Charlie Jones, 20, and Callum Villis, 19, not guilty of raping the girl two years ago as she was just entering her teens.
As the two verdicts were announced by the jury, Judge Jamie Tabor QC said: "I would like everyone to understand this is a very vulnerable young woman and she needs protection, not vilification."
The girl had alleged that Mr Jones forced her into sex at his home, but he accepted in evidence that he had invited the girl to his room to watch a film but denied there had been any sexual contact between them.
The girl also alleged that Mr Villis had taken her to an area of woodland and raped her. Mr Villis told the jury that the incident simply did not happen.
During the trial the jury heard that the girl was described as ’physically mature but emotionally immature’ and as having ’gone off the rails’ at the time of the alleged offences.
When Mr Jones and Mr Villis left the courtroom they were met in the corridor by their relieved supporters from the public gallery and repeatedly hugged.