Jury fails to reach verdict on rape claim

Mar 19 2008 South Wales Echo

A JURY has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict in the trial of a 17-year-old youth accused of raping a girl in a field.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that they had been part of a group which had been drinking cider, lager and vodka in a field in Caerphilly.

When a teacher walked by and stopped to talk to them, most of the group drifted away, leaving the accused boy and the 15-year-old girl behind. She said he pulled her to the ground saying “come on” and raped her despite the fact she screamed for him to stop. But he told the jury sex had been with her consent.

The eight female and four male jurors yesterday found him guilty of sexually assaulting another girl in the crowd that night in the school summer holidays last year by groping her breast.

He had already been cleared of two other assaults by touching.

The Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Nicholas Cooke QC, gave the prosecution two weeks to decide whether it will seek a re-trial on the rape allegation. A court order prohibits the boy from being named because of his age.