Police ‘hid texts that could have cleared students of rape’

POLICE hid crucial text messages for more than a year that could have cleared four students of gang rape, a court heard.

Thady Duff, 22, Leo Mahon, 21, Patrick Foster, 22, and James Martin, 20, were students at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, Glos, when they were involved in a sexual encounter with a woman who later alleged rape. But the Gloucester Crown Court case against them fell apart after it emerged that material was found on the woman’s phone about her sex life.

Eleanor Laws QC, representing Mr Duff, Mr Mahon and Mr Foster, said there had been “acts of omission” by Det Con Ben Lewis. The three men are applying for some of their legal costs to be paid by the prosecution. Recorder of Gloucester, Judge Jamie Tabor QC, is due to give a ruling next week.