A 16-year-old boy, accused of raping a 14-year-old girl at a New Year party, was cleared by a jury today.
The boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was found not guilty after a week-long trial at Bradford Crown Court.
The teenager admitted kissing and cuddling with the girl after he climbed a drainpipe to get into the house where the party was taking place in Buttershaw, Bradford.
He told the court he had hidden in a cupboard until the householder had gone to bed and then went downstairs to see the girl.
The boy, who said he had been drinking at the party but was not drunk, said they kissed and talked.
He said she took off her top and he stripped to his boxer shorts but the girl left the room soon afterwards when youths knocked on the window and nothing else happened.
It had been claimed the boy entered the girl's bedroom, pinned her down and raped her and she had fled the bedroom naked from the waist up.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article