A jury has cleared a man accused of raping a drunk woman as she slept in his bed of any wrongdoing.
Riccardo Gilheaney-Fraser went on trial in the Whanganui District Court on Monday, February 13, charged with sexual violation by rape.
In Gilheaney-Fraser’s case, it was alleged he raped the female at his home on January 24, 2021, after they had attended a party the night before. The case was heard before Judge Jonathan Krebs and a jury of seven men and five women.
After hearing five days of evidence the jury retired to consider its verdict about 1pm on Friday afternoon and returned around 4pm with a decision of not guilty.