Barry teenager cleared of rape (From Barry And District News)

Barry teenager cleared of rape

7:50am Thursday 9th February 2012 in News By Sharon Harris

A BARRY teenager who spent months in prison awaiting trial was last week cleared of rape by a jury at Cardiff Crown Court.

Kenny David Westgate, aged 19, formerly of Court Road, Barry, left Cardiff Crown Court a free man on Friday (February 3), following a three-and-a-half-day trial and an eight-hour jury deliberation.

And Kenny, who has no previous convictions, has since spoken of his prison ordeal, and his positive hopes for the future, after what his sister called 'six months of hell'.

The teenager had been remanded in custoday at Parc Prison, in Bridgend, since a woman alleged that he had raped her in the park at the junction of Hannah Street and Barry Road, on August 12 last year.

The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told police that Westgate had attacked her in the early hours of the morning then hid in a bush, before running out of the park and down Hannah Street.

Witnesses said they heard screams and the word "no".

But the court heard that the woman, who said she had drunk more than eight pints of Fosters at The Buccaneer and O'Briens and Sambuca shots during the evening, gave different accounts to police of what had happened. She also texted a friend to tell her she was pregnant, before telling her she had been raped.

CCTV images showed the pair leaving O'Briens pub in Holton Road at around 12.40am, before turning to walk along Court Road.

Both parties agreed they had had sex, but Kenny maintained the act was consensual and had taken place on a bench by Barry police station. He told the court: "I didn't do it."

The teenager, who has mild learning difficulties, was detained in prison for nearly six months after police charged him with rape.

He said he missed family birthdays and friends' weddings, was unable to take part in two bowling finals competitions that he had qualified for, and was unable to indulge his passion for fishing.

Kenny said: "In O'Briens they said the cops were looking for me. I said 'that's fine, I have got nothing to hide'.

"But they took me in and the next thing I know I'm in prison. It was awful."

Kenny's family stood by him throughout, but he stopped them visiting over Christmas, finding the enforced separation tough to deal with.

"I want to say thank you to them," he added.

"I don't know what I would have done without them.

"They have stuck by me - that's the most important thing." Kenny is now looking for work, has ambitions of joining the Naval Reserves, and wants to continue improving his maths and English education.

Sister Cerris Drew, 32, of Newport, said: "He's gone through six months of hell.

"It's been hard for us and for him being accused of something he hadn't done.

"He can get on with his life now."