A WALTHAM Chase man has been found not guilty at a trial of raping a woman.

Duncan Stephens, of Winchester Road, had this week been on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of raping a woman between November 2 and 4, 2019. He denied the charge.

After hearing four days of evidence Mr Stephens, 31, was found not guilty by a jury of six men and six women.

Opening the case, prosecutor Daniel Sawyer said that Stephens, the woman and a group of friends had been on a night out at The Barleycorn Inn, in Bishop’s Waltham, for a Halloween party before going back to his home to continue partying and drinking.

The woman alleged that Stephens changed plans to stay on the sofa and joined the complainant and another woman in bed, where she was sexually abused, but the jury did not believe this account.

Mr Stephens said that woman initiated their sexual contact and was an “enthusiastic participant”.

Giving evidence in court, the woman claimed that she was “frozen in shock” and following the incident suicidal thoughts were brought on.

But defence barrister Jonathan Rosen said: “The reality is those symptoms are as a result of continuing problems you have had and your regret about doing something that you then decided that you shouldn’t have done. You gave every indication to Duncan Stephens that this was consensual sexual activity didn’t you?” The woman denied this.