Man acquitted of chatroom rape

The case against an RAF recruit accused of raping and indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl he met over the internet has collapsed, the Crown Prosecution Service said on Tuesday.

Peter Florey, 19, was accused of attacking the girl, whom he befriended via an online chatroom, when they arranged to meet in Northampton last August.

The prosecution opened its case against the serviceman, from Sisefield Road, King's Norton in Birmingham, at Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday morning.

But a decision was made to offer no further evidence after the girl was cross-examined by Mr Florey's barrister, Steven Evans, via video link.

Intercourse was consensual

Alistair Evans, senior prosecutor for Northamptonshire, said after the case that during cross-examination the girl had admitted that sexual intercourse occurred with her consent.

He said: "The prosecution decided when hearing this to offer no further evidence since the case was no longer strong enough to go to the jury."

Mr Florey, who was arrested at RAF Holton barracks near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire after the girl made her complaint to police, was formally acquitted of two separate counts of indecent assault and one of rape.

Mr Evans said: "We stand by the decision to prosecute and as soon as her evidence was heard by the court the prosecution offered no further evidence at the earliest possible opportunity.

"I am satisfied that with the evidence available to the CPS at the outset, the trial was presented in a fair and professional manner before the court."