I’ll sue says student, 22 cleared of rapes after evidence was withheld
A STUDENT wrongly tried for rape has vowed to sue the police and Crown Prosecution Service after they failed to hand over vital evidence to exonerate him.
Liam Allan, 22, was accused of six rapes and six sex assaults and spent almost two years on bail.
But the trial at Croydon Crown Court collapsed after three days when the prosecuting barrister announced he was halting proceedings because crucial information had not been provided to the defence team.
Close to the trial, police were asked to hand to the defence thousands of messages between the woman and her friends.
Evidence comprised a cache of sex texts sent from the alleged victim. They included one, sent to a friend weeks before Mr Allan was arrested, allegedly saying: “It wasn’t against my will or anything.” Other texts allegedly detailed violent sex fantasies.
Mr Allan described his ordeal as “a terrible form of limbo” but he wants to use the experience as a force for good.
The Metropolitan Police said it was carrying out an “urgent assessment” over its actions. Law student Mr Allan said yesterday he did not blame the alleged victim in the case but said he had not “slept properly” for two years since he was arrested.
He said: “The support from friends was fantastic, no one believed for one minute that I was guilty. No one treated me differently, no one gave me funny looks at university.”
Mr Allan, of south-east London, questioned why the texts, which “clearly undermine” the woman’s case, were not disclosed and said he had “no choice” but to sue.
He added: “I am, however, happy to work with the CPS and police to help ensure things change for the better. In this case no individual is to blame. There are multiple factors.”
Mr Allan said he believed the case started when the woman, who cannot be named, began telling “a little white lie”.
He said: “It spiralled out of control and became a story she had to stick to. She completely lost control of what happened.
“I am hoping to use my experience to help change system failures for the benefit of both victims and falsely accused people. My life was completely upended.
“There were points where I felt completely alone because of what I was going through but you have to act strong for your family.”
Mr Allan described the woman – who cannot be named for legal reasons – as “troubled”.
The CPS offered no evidence last week as it was decided “there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction”.
Mr Allan was comforted by his mother Lorraine, 46, outside court.