Oxford man acquitted of rape after pub party

Armanto Tzourtzi, of Cowley Road, Oxford, was on trial at Oxford Crown Court.

The 24-year-old pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and one count of assaulting a female by penetration.

The allegations related to an incident in the early hours of August 2, 2023.

Tzourtzi’s case was that the sexual activity was consensual.

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The court previously heard that on the night in question there had been a lock-in at The Cowley Retreat, in Cowley Road, as a leaving party for a member of staff.

The jury heard that the lock-in finished at around 3.30am and a group went back to the woman’s flat in Headington.

Everyone except the defendant left the flat at around 4.30am. Edward Lucas, prosecuting, told the jury that this was when the alleged rape took place.

On April 2, the jury found Tzourtzi not guilty by unanimous verdicts.

Clare Evans, defending, said in her closing speech: “You have no idea why she might lie because you don’t know anything about her.

“It’s your decision to decide if she is a reliable witness. He says nothing wrong happened.

“She accepts she was consenting. He does not accept she ever told him to stop.

“She said she assumed he heard it. You have to be sure of her account before you can convict.

“She didn’t want him to leave as she wanted to have sex with him. He is a calm and quiet young man.

“He is not a sexual predator.”

In his closing speech, Mr Lucas said: “I know it’s not an easy decision in the circumstances of this case.

“People come to this court to lie, that’s obvious. What possible motive has she (the complainant) got to lie about this?

“The answer is zero. If there had been, you would have heard about it. She is a bright and articulate young woman.

“It’s never easy when you’re faced with a situation when someone has withdrawn consent. But that is the reality.

“Anyone can withdraw consent at any time. She had told him (Tzourtzi) ‘no’.

“He was going to get his way if she liked it or not.”

In his legal directions to the jury, Judge Nigel Daly said: “You must decide the case of all of the evidence.

“He has no previous convictions, which supports his credibility. It may mean he is less likely to have committed the offences.

“But it can’t be a complete defence to a criminal charge.”