Court clears youth of rape charges

A teenager accused of raping a mother and abusing her six-year-old daughter has been acquitted of all charges by Craigavon Crown…

A teenager accused of raping a mother and abusing her six-year-old daughter has been acquitted of all charges by Craigavon Crown Court.

Kyle John Thompson (18) of Ballymacormick Road, Dromore had denied charges of false imprisonment, rape and indecently assaulting the woman in November 2005.

He also denied a charge of committing an act of gross indecency to the woman's daughter.

The jury of eight men and four women deliberated for nearly five and a half hours over two days before acquitting the teenager.

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During the two-week trial, the court the woman claim that on the night in question she had gone to bed but later awoke to find a man standing over her son with a knife. She claimed that the man then proceeded to rape her and then abuse her daughter.

Mr Thompson said he had been out drinking with friends and had gone to get food when a woman accosted him, shouting "Hey sexy" before inviting him back to her house.

He claimed her allegations were "complete and utter lies".