Unanimous decision. Not guilty!!

[YearsOfHell]

Just to say thank you to you all, This post gave me a little hope and kept me going, and I want to thank the OP.
I was found unanimous not guilty after 45 minutes of deliberation (felt like hours)

to all who are still struggling, keep the faith, get through the day, all your brothers in cause are with you in spirit. Good luck and fly safe

That's great news! Really needed a boost today.
Thanks for updating.
Justice prevails again!

[innocentson]

Fantastic news

Just to say thank you to you all, This post gave me a little hope and kept me going, and I want to thank the OP.
I was found unanimous not guilty after 45 minutes of deliberation (felt like hours)

to all who are still struggling, keep the faith, get through the day, all your brothers in cause are with you in spirit. Good luck and fly safe

Well done ; fantastic news ... 45 minutes ; seems absurd it went to trial judging by that.
I'm sat here crying with joy and also hope that we have a fair trial/ jury etc too
These threads are keeping me going but the point I wanted to make is for you : enjoy your freedom and life - try to put all this behind you & banana::clap x

[psalms]

Just to say thank you to you all, This post gave me a little hope and kept me going, and I want to thank the OP.
I was found unanimous not guilty after 45 minutes of deliberation (felt like hours)

to all who are still struggling, keep the faith, get through the day, all your brothers in cause are with you in spirit. Good luck and fly safe

So pleased for you jayemac! It's an amazing feeling eh! I was at my wits end just being on bail for 3 months until I was NFA'd. The terror of actually being charged and having to go to court must be horrendous. The relief must be ecstasy!

[AmandaF]

Not much else to say really, except hope all goes well for you in the future

[SalvationNeeded123]

Just to say thank you to you all, This post gave me a little hope and kept me going, and I want to thank the OP.
I was found unanimous not guilty after 45 minutes of deliberation (felt like hours)

to all who are still struggling, keep the faith, get through the day, all your brothers in cause are with you in spirit. Good luck and fly safe

Wooooohoooo way to go! 45 mins is clear that it wasn't a big deal indeed. Enjoy your freedom my friend, it's a very precious thing!

Congrats!

[Rights Fighter]

Just to say thank you to you all, This post gave me a little hope and kept me going, and I want to thank the OP.
I was found unanimous not guilty after 45 minutes of deliberation (felt like hours)

to all who are still struggling, keep the faith, get through the day, all your brothers in cause are with you in spirit. Good luck and fly safe

Whooooo Hooooo!

[jittery]

woo hoo

I've done it.

With the help of everyone supporting me and especially my girlfriend it's all over. 20 months of hell. People ask me this weekend how did you get through it and people will come on here looking for that answer. There is no answer. You just will. Trust me. You are strong no matter what you think and at the end (there will be an end no matter what) you won't know how you made it through but the important thing is you will make it. You're not dead. If you're on bail you're probably not looking at life in prison. I know the repercussions and it is life changing to everyone involved. But you don't live in a third world country and you Won't be hung or executed in public with no trial. Despite how much you feel you are up against it, you just need to fight.

It was no doubt the hardest week of my life. I couldnt read the jury. The prosecution seemed to have days and complete freedom to give their side. It came to my defence and i seemed to get barely a day, I would use words like 'assume' that I was sure I had heard other wirnesses use time after time and be told off by the judge. I said my goodbyes and walked into the dock with my toiletries looking at a minimum of 4 years, my girlfriend is 21 for God's sake. She held on to me in burst of teats and refused to let me enter the court room, these people think they are protecting this other girl but do they realise the damage they have done to the females in my life? The prosecution had spun and manipulated it so bad that I was by the end of a gruelling 5 day trial 100% I was going to jail for something I hadn't done. although the security in the dock gave me sympathy and remarked quietly "same old story" after prosecution witnesses. But no one else in the court room seemed to do so. Even the judge seemed greatly against me and talked down to me. Despite that my barrister kept telling me how fair he was being, I'd hate to hear him being unfair.

My point is be prepared for a hard week, it might not seem a fair trial that this nation prides itself on, you might feel guilty before proven innocent and it might feel like the burden is on you not the prosecution. And it is. So be calm, collected but firm. Don't get angry or aggressive but remember you're fighting for your freedom here, this is the time to stand up and make it count. All them sleepless nights thinking, all the depression and anxiety. Use it. Channel it and stand up there and show the jury you are innocent. When I stood up to give evidence I looked around and I crumbled, I didn't think I could do it, my barrister asked about my partner I looked at her and she was in tears as she was most of the week. I teared up then I pulled myself together and I did what I needed to do. I gave my account and the day ended, the prosecution barrister had all night to diet everything I said, make every honest innocent thing I had done look like something it wasn't and try and trip me up. He came prepared the next morning with about 20 sheets to try and pick me apart and teat me down. He called me a lier. He didn't beat around the bush. They were his words. "You are lying aren't you" I looked at the jury and answered everyone of his questions. He didn't deserve answers. They needed them. I needed to show them I would never do such a thing. It must have been 2 hours of attacking me but I wouldn't let him bully me.

The jury of 10 women and 2 men, which I was dubious about but has now reinstalled my faith in females even more so, delivered a unanimous decision after just over an hour of deliberating. My jury were mature. 9 of them females at least 50 years old. 1 a younger girl. 1 a mature man and one a young man. My case involved a night out and interaction with a girl. I was worried their generation would be out of touch and not aware of how a girl might behave and think there was no way a girl would do such a thing and therefore find me guilty. The judge asked them to draw on their combined experience of life in all different walks. They all looked the same though. Very prim and proper. I really thought they would get the wrong picture. But I was wrong and I have learnt not to judge people in such a way.

NOT GUILTY ON BOTH COUNTS

The courtroom filled with my supporters burst into tears. Its effected them as much as me and many of them have needed counselling and medication. I never needed any of that. I was never scared about myself, and never for 1 second worried about the normal fears people would have of being in jail for their own safety. The only thing i was scared about is that I wouldnt be there to protect my mum and my girlfriend and tell them everything is Ok. I managed to mumble a thank you to the jury between my tears. Even my barrister came out and she hugged me and had to walk straight off to stop crying. And I'm sure being 15 years into her career she is a pretty hard lady.

It's done now and as a 23 year old with a 21 year old girlfriend of 4 years apart from the 1 month when the CONSENSUAL incident happened can finally plan a life together. We have been through more than some people will do in their whole life and we are ready to take on the world and have a bright future.

I still feel stressed, I spent all week in fight or die mode and now it's over it's settling in how hard that week actually was. Intense, degrading, embarrassing and upsetting. But I stood up there and under hours of cross examining stood my ground, kept my cool and tried to engage with the jury. I had one chance to profess my innocence to the 12 people that would dictate my future, the case was going to come down to whether they thought I was telling the truth or not and it was my time to show that and stand up to the bullying prosecuting barrister. I wasn't going to lose my cool but if he thought I would stand there and roll over to his manipulations of evidence he had another thing coming.

Now I hope through rossendales (sp) and legal aid I can claim my legal aid contribution back and go back to work after being on leave since I was charged. They have stuck by me all the way. I appreciate the things in life that matter now and if I can take anything away from this terrible situation is that it's made me and my partner strong as we could possibly be. It actually brought us back together as at the time we had split up, I realised my error and how much I needed her at the time, she even picked me up from the police station when it happened. How many 21 year old girls would do that and voluntarily put themselves through 2 years of hell following and then stand up in court as a character witness to the jury what I'm really like despite what the prosecution tried to portray me as. I've never been one to think like that but I really believe we were meant to be and if this is what it took to get us back together then so be it.

I plan on keeping up with this page to see if there's anything I can help with and if anyone wants to ask me any questions or pm me please do. Even if you just have no family or friends to help you through this like I so luckily did please message me for a chat.

Great news, pleased for you

[jittery]

woo hoo

Just to say thank you to you all, This post gave me a little hope and kept me going, and I want to thank the OP.
I was found unanimous not guilty after 45 minutes of deliberation (felt like hours)

to all who are still struggling, keep the faith, get through the day, all your brothers in cause are with you in spirit. Good luck and fly safe

Good for you!

[Abaddream]

Well done!!!!
Your post is very inspiring...im not sure how you managed to get through it...its not even me going to trail but as mentioned before the feeling of intense pressure is huge.can i ask was your defense team aggresive in court.

Im so worried for my sister, she can for most times be misunderstood if you dont know her..she comes across as being a little strange even...but those who know her understand this is just her and she means no harm....the problem is will the jury see.
I think someone mentioned im not able to pm on here yet and nit sure whether you can see my email address (again I thunk someone mentiined on a thread I started that it was accesable) if you could email me that would be a great help...ive got so many questions that are spinning around in my head that I would love to have some insight to.
Once again thanks for your time, its so nice to be able to onow iys not just you in this predicament...iys shocking how many people are. Even better than that you live to fight another day....big hugs...you did it!!!!

BIT late but maybe it will help someone else

My defence team were not aggressive in court. They didn't want to alienate the jury and make it an us against everyone else type of thing. Rightly so I think the Jury saw this way that I was the victim as much as anyone.

Clearly they have to make their points heard and back them strongly though

[innocentson]

Thank you for adding more useful guidance " Abaddream"
I still return to your original post and additions from others like jay mac to keep my hopes alive.
My sons trial is two weeks off now (similar circumstance to yours) but from some years back....

I am terrified ; know his is innocent 100% as anyone that knows him would / are confirming..... But current climate and location (yorkshire) scares me beyond words.... The impact of this vile allegation and process is inhuman

Thanks for guidance on the trial process

Any view on what to expect from her supporters / family / media interest .... Just not sure if there will be any or all from these ? I can't think it will be of interest to media but I see others made it into papers .... My son isn't famous - just average guy ; so hoping not, but we haven't told wider family and friends

Sorry rambling now , so will say thanks again

Innocenttson

[Soul2soul]

Hi Innocentson

All the best to your son. I am on trial in 3 weeks myself, shaken is not even the word to describe me and worse off I don't know what to make of my legal team. Basically a word against word they say and they not that convincing, don't know maybe it's in my head and expected more.

Anyway how many times has your son met up with defence team and how are you finding them?

[innocentson]

Hi Innocentson

All the best to your son. I am on trial in 3 weeks myself, shaken is not even the word to describe me and worse off I don't know what to make of my legal team. Basically a word against word they say and they not that convincing, don't know maybe it's in my head and expected more.

Anyway how many times has your son met up with defence team and how are you finding them?

Hi : it's very hard but try to stay calm ... I'm struggling tbh but have realised there's not much point over worrying things...

I too had concerns however others reassured me that a good barrister lives (works) on their reputation and results ... Therefore by default won't work with a solicitor who isn't up to scratch too : I'm sure this isn't in fallible but gave me some confidence.

Like you : I was worried about lack of action... But now realise there is a plan they work too. Eg we had to go back to court to force evidence disclosure this week ; and I saw our barrister in action... And we had a chance to talk with Her afterwards. I can't post too much detail as conscious on open forum but I feel better as a result (tad anyway)

I would suggest you book a meeting with your team asap ; if location is a challenge (it is for us). Then ask for a conference call with them and have a list of bullet points ready to discuss.

I'm literally terrified too but use the coping mechanisms other have suggested ... I'm no spring chicken but have joined the gym and so knackered after a spin class I actually got some sleep for a change.

Keep posting: others will be on to help too ...

[edinguy]

Trial for me was not as bad as I feared I think but that was most probably the emotional exhaustion of what if’s were finally coming to an end after 2 long years.

It’s kind of hard to remember how I exactly felt during it as I think I’ve blocked the experience out but I do remember after hearing the accusers evidence that my mood changed and I could tell they could see through her lies and I wanted to be cross examined asap as for the first time in 20 odd months I was getting to tell my side.

It was over 5 days and a decision was made within an hour of the Jury deliberation.

In the lead up to the trial I kept myself as busy as possible with the gym, doing things with my partner and staying away from the internet which was the hardest part for me personally (I kept looking up cases, prison stories and jail sentences etc.)

[Eebygolly]

Good news. Well done