Man, 21, is cleared of rape allegation (From Barry And District News)

Man, 21, is cleared of rape allegation

A VALE of Glamorgan man has been cleared of an allegation of rape by Cardiff Crown Court.

It took just ten minutes for the jury to find 21-year-old James Crook not guilty of raping a young woman, who cannot be named because of legal reasons, after a two-day trial.

Mr Crook, who lives with his parents and his 17-year-old brother at Fonmon Park Road, Rhoose, had always denied the charge - brought two years after it was said to have taken place.

The woman admitted she had willingly slept with Mr Crook on other occasions, and had also sent him a Valentine's card, but claimed that on one day she had been forced to have sex against her will.

But Mr Crook said it had not happended and that sex between them had always been with her full consent. The jury returned a unanimous'not guilty' verdict.

His mother Diane, 52, has spoken of the family's seven months of "hell".

She said: "It's been a nightmare. I was a witness during the trial, which was horrific. The woman made the allegation in May. I feel sorry for her that she had to say something like that. I don't know why she did it.

"There was no evidence at all and the case went all the way to court when it should not have done. The whole of the first day of the trial I did nothing but shake. It was unbelievable.

"I burst into tears when the jury found James not guilty. It was like somebody had taken a huge weight off my shoulders. I just felt like my heart was going to burst."

Mrs Crook said James, employed as a roofer, was relieved at the unanimous verdict but said it would take a while for him to get over the case, which he still cannot talk about.