Oliver Dean and Manisha Knights have secured a significant acquittal for our client, who faced two charges of rape arising from a Tinder date in November 2021. The allegation centred on a claim that the complainant withdrew consent after two nights of consensual sexual activity on the morning after the couple’s second date — which our client had always categorically denied.

Rape allegation case

The case was heavily complicated by late and incomplete disclosure. Critical WhatsApp messages and Instagram communications—material that was plainly relevant to the issues at trial—were not disclosed by the Crown Prosecution Service until the complainant was already partway through cross-examination. This failure again highlighted the persistent and serious disclosure problems that continue to undermine the fairness of criminal investigations and prosecutions.

Significant delays and failings

Equally troubling was the quality and pace of the police investigation. Despite the seriousness of the allegation, it took almost one year for the client to be arrested and interviewed and a further 20 months before charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service. The end result being that four years passed before the matter reached trial at the Old Bailey.

Unanimous verdict

The trial was conducted over six days by Manisha Knights, trial advocate, who exposed the inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case. On 1st December 2025 the jury returned not guilty verdicts on both counts.

This outcome is a testament to the firm’s unwavering commitment to robustly challenging poor police practices, holding the Crown to its disclosure obligations, and ensuring that our clients receive the fair trial they are entitled to.