Durham University student Alastair Cooke accused of raping drunk woman will NOT face retrial

Durham College pupil Alastair Cooke, 22, had been accused of raping a lady after a celebration. He is not going to face a retrial after the unique jury failed to succeed in a verdict 

The defence lawyer for a Durham College pupil who walked free after being charged with rape has warned that younger males ought to by no means have intercourse with drunk ladies.

Alastair Cooke, 23, mentioned final night time that he was 'delighted this nightmare is over' after the case towards him was dropped.

Talking exterior Durham Crown Court docket, Mr Cooke's barrister Cathy McCulloch warned that attitudes to intercourse and alcohol should change in universities. 

'What occurred to Alastair Cooke is each younger man's nightmare and we'd like a marketing campaign to coach them.

'Younger males have to study that if a lady presents as drunk however provides all of the indicators, as they see it, of consenting, she will nonetheless say later that she was not match to consent,' Mrs McCulloch mentioned.

'Younger males know you can't put roofies [date rape drugs] in a woman's drink, you possibly can't spike a woman's drink, however we now have to take issues a step additional.

'Even when they haven't given the girl the alcohol, if they've watched them take their very own alcohol, if that girl seems to be drunk they need to not go there.

'You can not have a f*** buddy. It's about whether or not or not somebody may give consent to have their physique utilized in essentially the most intimate act between two human beings.'

Mrs McCulloch added: 'It's each mom's nightmare, I've a 25-year-old son and it's my nightmare.'

Mr Cooke, a third-year geology and geophysics pupil, was weeks away from an anticipated firstclass diploma when he was arrested in 2015 on suspicion of raping a 23-year-old pupil in her house when she drunk. 

However jurors couldn't agree on a verdict, and yesterday Durham Crown Court docket was advised that the prosecution wouldn't search a retrial on the three rape prices confronted by Mr Cooke and that his accuser agreed with that call.

'We subsequently supply no proof on these counts,' mentioned prosecutor Paul Cleasby.  

The scholar was the third undergraduate to be cleared of rape previously 12 months. Final January Louis Richardson, then 21, the previous secretary of the Durham Union debating society, was cleared by a jury in lower than three hours.

The historical past pupil, from St Helier, Jersey, and his household mentioned they'd been put by way of '15 months of absolute hell'.

Throughout the authentic trial, the geography pupil was accused of following the girl house from a celebration in June 2015

Engineering pupil George Worrall, 22, from Cromer in Norfolk, confronted three counts of rape, however final July after he had been below suspicion for 18 months the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case earlier than it went to trial, citing 'inconsistencies of the sufferer's account'.

Mr Cooke, who denied the costs, didn't attend courtroom yesterday and was at his household house in Truro, Cornwall, when he heard the information. 

He mentioned: 'This has been a very troublesome time for all these concerned on all sides. I'm delighted this nightmare is now over. I'm wanting ahead to attempting to piece my life again collectively.'

Mr Cooke, who now plans to finish his diploma, was accused of raping the girl at her pupil home in June 2015 when she was very drunk and unresponsive. 

He had identified the girl, who can't be named for authorized causes, for 2 years. It was alleged that he stalked her again to her house from a home social gathering, let himself in and raped her 3 times in her bed room. 

However his barrister, Mrs McCulloch, advised the courtroom final month that the allegation arose from 'remorse which acquired out of hand'.

Jurors have been additionally advised that the girl had a bent to magnify and that the 'willowy' Mr Cooke was too weak to throw her round 'like a rag doll' as she claimed.

It was alleged throughout his trial that the girl's mates have been a 'mob' who knew 'precisely what it took to get a rape conviction'. Mrs McCulloch mentioned: 'They have been all working collectively to assist their good friend.'

On the trial, the courtroom heard that Mr Cooke was a volunteer with the Nightline pupil recommendation service and through his coaching he had role-played being accused of raping a drunken girl after following her house.

The situation he had invented beforehand matched the alleged real-life occasions in June 2015, the jury was advised. 

CONCERNS OVER 'RAPE CULTURE' AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY  

Issues have been raised following a collection of rape and sexual assault allegations in recent times at Durham College.

Figures launched by the college in November revealed there have been 36 rape and sexual assault allegations previously two years alone. 

Durham College, together with the College of Oxford, had the very best variety of recorded allegations out of 70 main establishments that launched statistics. 

Figures launched by Durham College (pictured) revealed there have been 36 rape and sexual assault allegations previously two years alone 

On the time, spokesmen for each universities mentioned their figures have been increased than different establishments as a result of college students felt extra assured in reporting instances to them. 

In response to fears a couple of 'rape tradition' amongst college students, Durham and different universities throughout the nation have launched workshops geared toward educating college students on the problem of sexual consent.

In 2015, consent lessons have been made obligatory for all freshers at Durham.  

The 'It Occurs Right here' marketing campaign was additionally launched by college students on the college to lift consciousness about points surrounding sexual violence, consent and rape tradition.

There have been a number of rape allegations involving Durham college students that haven't resulted in a conviction previously yr.

Undergraduate George Worrall, 22, was cleared of rape in July after the case towards him collapsed.

Historical past pupil Louis Richardson, now 22, was additionally cleared of rape and sexual assault following a trial in January final yr. 

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