‘Posh’ Durham students ‘planned competition to sleep with poorest girl’

‘Discussing them like objects’

AN INVESTIGATION has been launched into claims that ‘posh lads’ at Durham University planned a competition to have sex with the ‘poorest girl’ on campus.

The boys, thought to be students awaiting the start of their first week at the top institution, made the comments in a group chat on social media.

Other students flagged up the messages – including one which joked about spiking women’s drinks – to the university authorities. One of those who raised concerns about the messages wrote to officials: ‘I hope you’re aware that there’s a freshers “lads” group chat with loads of boys discussing ways to use date rape drugs on girls, discussing them like objects and making plans to “s*** the poorest girl”. Disgusting.

‘Show us how much you condemn this behaviour with your actions. Show us how much you care about the safety of your students. Will you allow them on campus with their quite clear intent?’

The comments were sent in a group called ‘Durham Boys Making All The Noise’.

In one conversation a boy wrote: ‘So many people get accused of rape. I’m always worried about it after.’

Another added: ‘I know maybe 15 girls who say they’ve been raped and not one taken to court. Or a police report. And women will always believe women mostly.’ A separate posting said: ‘Have I told you about the posh lads competing on f ****** the poorest girl?’ Other messages related to getting women drunk and drug use. Students are due to start the new academic year at Durham on September 28.

Durham’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Jeremy Cook said the university ‘utterly condemns the content and behaviour demonstrated in these social media posts’ He added: ‘We instigated an immediate investigation by our student disciplinary team...If these posts are found to be genuine and attributable, we will take action to ensure that those involved will have no place at Durham University.’

Last year Christopher Twigg became the fourth Durham student in three years to walk free from court after he was accused of a sex attack.

Mr Twigg had been accused of sexual assault after he allegedly touched a female student following a rugby social event.

Prosecutors dropped the case after he agreed to apologise to the woman without any admission of guilt.