Youth with Mental Health/Behavioural Issues Acquitted of Sexual Offence

We represented a youth client of previous good character who suffered from ADHD and a processing disorder. The client was charged with rape and another sexual offence against a 15-year-old girl who was an acquaintance of his from school.

It was alleged that whilst the girl had been visiting the client at his home address and alone in his bedroom, he had forced his penis into her mouth. The client had then allegedly pinned the girl on the bed whilst trying to remove their respective lower clothing before she was able to push him off and leave the address.

The prosecution sought to use evidence of a previous incident where the client had been given an informal warning for pressuring another young female into sending him an indecent video of herself as evidence to prove the client was highly sexualised and would have a propensity to act in the way alleged. At trial, the bad character application was successfully resisted. Following a two-day trial, the client was acquitted of both allegations.

This case involved very serious sexual offences dealt with before the youth court rather than the Crown Court. The matter involved contesting the relevance and admissibility of obviously prejudicial material upon which the prosecution sought to rely to support their case.

We were able to deal sensitively with a young client who had both behavioural and communicative difficulties, which gave him the confidence to present his case in the best way possible before the Judge. This was successful as it resulted in his acquittal on all matters.  

The client’s family expressed their gratitude, saying:

“I can’t begin to say how grateful we all are for the work that has gone into getting this outcome… thank you once again for all of the support over the last 18 months. This has felt like a lifetime; however, the outcome was brilliant, and we couldn’t be happier”.

If you or a loved one is facing serious allegations, our experienced rape defence solicitors and sexual offence solicitors specialise in defending complex and sensitive cases, especially involving young or vulnerable individuals. We know how to challenge prejudicial evidence and secure the right outcome. Contact us today for expert legal advice.