Teenage Defendants Cleared of Rape Charges in Manchester Court Case
Three teenage boys accused of raping a 13-year-old girl burst into tears in court as they were found not guilty following a dramatic two-week trial at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court. The emotional scenes unfolded as the jury delivered their verdicts, with one boy seen crying next to his mother while another comforted a trembling family member.
Details of the Alleged Incident and Trial Proceedings
The court heard that the alleged incident occurred in February 2024 near Newbold Metrolink station in Rochdale, just off a footpath close to the tram stop. Prosecutors claimed the girl was "physically pushed and bent over forward" during the attack, with the boys allegedly "all swapped" positions during the assault. The teenage girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was said to have been with a friend who "stepped in to stop what was happening," prompting two of the boys to run away from the scene.
During the trial, prosecutor Kim Whittlestone argued that it "would have been obvious" the girl "did not want this to happen" and that "it would have been clear that she was not consenting." The court heard that part of the incident was filmed on a mobile phone, with footage later "circulated among themselves" and "others." In the video played to jurors, "clapping" noises could be heard along with a voice telling the girl to perform a sexual act.
Defence Arguments and Jury Deliberations
The three boys, now aged 14, 15, and 16, denied all charges and maintained throughout the trial that the encounter was consensual. The now 16-year-old testified that the girl said she "fancied him" and described "talking and flirting" on the tram before the incident. Similarly, the now 15-year-old claimed the girl had "asked [him] for sex" and that he could tell she "fancied [him]" based on "the way she was looking at [him]."
Defence barrister Rachel Shenton, representing the now 16-year-old, argued that consent was "more nuanced" than explicit verbal agreement, particularly among adolescents. She suggested the girl had been "untruthful" and "inconsistent" in her account, noting that she didn't shout or scream during the encounter. Ms. Shenton further claimed the allegation of rape was "a get out of jail free card" for what was actually "a shameful encounter."
Peter Gilmour, representing the now 15-year-old, emphasized that "we must not judge children by the standards of adults," noting his client was only 13 at the time and had never had sex before. He questioned how the boy was supposed to know the girl didn't consent when she "went willingly" into the bushes and didn't give "any indication" of having second thoughts.
Special Circumstances and Final Verdict
The court heard that the now 14-year-old defendant has a diagnosis of ADHD and a learning difficulty with ASD traits, and was found unfit to stand trial. Instead, jurors were asked to determine "whether he did the act" and whether he "encouraged" it to happen without the girl's consent. The jury found he had not committed the offences.
After 9 hours and 46 minutes of deliberations, the jury returned not guilty verdicts for all three boys on all counts. The emotional reaction in court included tears, heavy sighs, and one exhausted voice exclaiming "Jesus" as the verdicts were delivered. The case has concluded with the teenagers cleared of all charges related to the alleged rape near Rochdale's Newbold tram stop.
