Three boys accused of sexually assaulting a girl in a wooded area when they were 12, 13, and 14 years old have been acquitted of all charges today. The Minshull Street Crown Court was informed that the boys refuted allegations of taking turns and changing positions during the incident, which was purportedly recorded on a mobile phone. The trio, whose identities are protected by law, were cleared of all charges.
At Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court, two of the boys, now aged 15 and 16, stood trial, while the third boy, who was 12 at the time and is now 14, was deemed unfit to stand trial. The jury concluded that all three boys were not guilty.
During the trial, the boys denied the accusations and claimed the encounter was consensual. Following a two-week trial, the now 16-year-old and 15-year-old were acquitted of three counts of rape.
Jurors were tasked with determining if the third boy, now 14 and previously found unfit for trial, had engaged in the acts and whether he had encouraged the others. The verdict revealed that he had not committed the offenses, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.
The alleged incident took place near Newbold tram stop in Rochdale in February 2024, where the teenage girl, whose identity is protected, was reportedly assaulted. The prosecution stated that the girl was forcibly pushed and assaulted while bystanders intervened to stop the assault, leading the boys to flee the scene.
Video evidence presented in court revealed disturbing actions, with one boy allegedly slapping the girl and others making derogatory remarks. Despite claims of consent by the boys, the prosecution argued that the girl did not agree to the acts.
The defense emphasized that the encounter was not rape but rather a regrettable situation, pointing out the girl’s alleged inconsistencies in her statements. After a lengthy deliberation of 9 hours and 46 minutes, the jury unanimously found all three boys not guilty on all charges.