All those comments on social media are sickening me " she messaged him first" "she knew what she was getting in to when she went to the hotel" people don't seem to realise if someone withdraws consent half way through consensual sex and the person carries on...that is still rape.
About 20 years ago I was called for jury service.
I ended up on a Rape trial. Assault and battery, robbery and Rape.
The evidence we were shown was awful, the bruising, black eyes, split lip, I can still see the photos we were shown.
There was more medical evidence and also his DNA.
But we couldn't convict him for the rape, even though we knew he most likely did it, there was doubt. We convicted for the assault and the robbery but were a hung jury on the rape conviction. We were told afterwards that he had 3 previous convictions for SA but in Northern Ireland.
The doubt was that the victim was a prostitute and had previous clients that night before her accuser.
That's why every rape case where they try and smear the victim with "she was asking for it" or "she was all over him in the nightclub" triggers memories of those weeks sitting in the courtroom. I saw the photos and saw what he did to that woman. We were read her psychiatrists reports where she tried to take her own life afterwards. It doesn't
bleeping matter WHO you are. Rape is Rape.
I'm tearing up writing this because to this day I feel like we failed her when we couldn't convict him of the rape. He still got a 3 year sentence but not near enough for the fucker. I can totally see why the DPP are disinclined from prosecuting as the victim has to relive the entire ordeal and have the defence tear them apart.
www.thesun.ie
hope the dog groomer is having a great day
