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Hi everybody
I was accused of rape in October 2011, in where I had supposedly taken a girl back to my halls of residence (she was also a student too) and raped her. The story is a little long, but I'll sum it up as:
I met a girl at a night out in my university student union, she came back to mine, we had sex and I then rung her and paid for her taxi home (she hadn't got her bag on her for some reason). I went back to my home town, mainly because I was starting my NHS psychotherapy (long-term problems) - however, I got a phone call during the day off a flatmate saying two people in suits had looked for me. It didn't mean much, so I went out with my brother and his flat (he was also a fresher in my hometown). I went back home the next day.
Anyways, after the police got to my halls - me, my accommodation warden and two police offers had a chat, told me that the girl on Saturday had accused me of rape. They told me about going in for questioning the next morning and I was fine with that, albeit scared. After they left my warden let me relax, have a cigarette and a cuppa. They came back about 30 minutes later, saying how I was a threat to myself and then they arrested me.
It was a bit blurry what happened next, but mainly remember having DNA samples taken, an assessment off a mental health nurse and obviously the interview (I responded to my interview as no comment, because my solicitor thought I was a bit too upset/nervous to answer). They granted me bail (with no restrictions) and then spent the next six weeks worrying, then to be told it was going to be dropped (NFA - lack of evidence). I was absolutely delighted.
After the NFA, I thought everything was going to be okay. I started going out again, got most of my life together (excluding stuff which had happened before) and actually forgot about most of it - student life was really useful in helping on that. Now I'm finishing my second year of uni, I thought it'd be time to assess what I want to do in the future. There was something I really, really wanted to apply for called the JET programme. It's where you teach English abroad basically (I really wanted to have ago at teaching abroad, then perhaps come back n' do a PGCE and settle down).
After speaking to the people who provided me legal aid today (although my solicitor was on holiday) and asking them specifically about eCRBs (or w/e they are called now), PNC's and about my prospects of teaching English abroad, they came out with "it depends on the job". Literally, is that it? I've had so many people reassure me (fellow students, mates from home, family and people who know) that it feels so surreal. I actually feel horrible about it - its literally being powerless in a scenario you can't do anything about.
What really riles me up about it is how literally within my first three weeks at university, has ruined any sort of prospect in what I want to do in the future. But at the same time, I understand how the system is - logically, it makes sense. I wouldn't want to employ somebody accused of a serious crime - not worth the hassle/issues if further problem.
Anyways, I want to try and have a go at taking it off my record in some sort of way. I've read earlier posts in this forum, how some people after sending off for eCRBs hadn't been flagged. I know writing to my MP is the best way, but I'm not entirely sure on how to write such a letter. Also is it wrong how they had specifically told my parents that I hadn't been arrested? And how they were keeping me in a cell for the night as a 'perceived risk' - despite they were going to let me go in the next morning for questioning.
I was accused of rape in October 2011, in where I had supposedly taken a girl back to my halls of residence (she was also a student too) and raped her. The story is a little long, but I'll sum it up as:
I met a girl at a night out in my university student union, she came back to mine, we had sex and I then rung her and paid for her taxi home (she hadn't got her bag on her for some reason). I went back to my home town, mainly because I was starting my NHS psychotherapy (long-term problems) - however, I got a phone call during the day off a flatmate saying two people in suits had looked for me. It didn't mean much, so I went out with my brother and his flat (he was also a fresher in my hometown). I went back home the next day.
Anyways, after the police got to my halls - me, my accommodation warden and two police offers had a chat, told me that the girl on Saturday had accused me of rape. They told me about going in for questioning the next morning and I was fine with that, albeit scared. After they left my warden let me relax, have a cigarette and a cuppa. They came back about 30 minutes later, saying how I was a threat to myself and then they arrested me.
It was a bit blurry what happened next, but mainly remember having DNA samples taken, an assessment off a mental health nurse and obviously the interview (I responded to my interview as no comment, because my solicitor thought I was a bit too upset/nervous to answer). They granted me bail (with no restrictions) and then spent the next six weeks worrying, then to be told it was going to be dropped (NFA - lack of evidence). I was absolutely delighted.
After the NFA, I thought everything was going to be okay. I started going out again, got most of my life together (excluding stuff which had happened before) and actually forgot about most of it - student life was really useful in helping on that. Now I'm finishing my second year of uni, I thought it'd be time to assess what I want to do in the future. There was something I really, really wanted to apply for called the JET programme. It's where you teach English abroad basically (I really wanted to have ago at teaching abroad, then perhaps come back n' do a PGCE and settle down).
After speaking to the people who provided me legal aid today (although my solicitor was on holiday) and asking them specifically about eCRBs (or w/e they are called now), PNC's and about my prospects of teaching English abroad, they came out with "it depends on the job". Literally, is that it? I've had so many people reassure me (fellow students, mates from home, family and people who know) that it feels so surreal. I actually feel horrible about it - its literally being powerless in a scenario you can't do anything about.
What really riles me up about it is how literally within my first three weeks at university, has ruined any sort of prospect in what I want to do in the future. But at the same time, I understand how the system is - logically, it makes sense. I wouldn't want to employ somebody accused of a serious crime - not worth the hassle/issues if further problem.
Anyways, I want to try and have a go at taking it off my record in some sort of way. I've read earlier posts in this forum, how some people after sending off for eCRBs hadn't been flagged. I know writing to my MP is the best way, but I'm not entirely sure on how to write such a letter. Also is it wrong how they had specifically told my parents that I hadn't been arrested? And how they were keeping me in a cell for the night as a 'perceived risk' - despite they were going to let me go in the next morning for questioning.
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