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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Former University Challenge contestant cleared of raping woman | Former University Challenge contestant cleared of raping woman |
| (4 months later) | |
| Retrial finds Bartolomeo Joly de Lotbiniere not guilty of raping student in her halls of residence | |
| Press Association | |
| Fri 22 Sep 2017 17.52 BST | |
| Last modified on Fri 22 Sep 2017 18.25 BST | |
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| A former student who appeared on the BBC TV quiz show University Challenge has been cleared of raping a woman in her halls of residence. | A former student who appeared on the BBC TV quiz show University Challenge has been cleared of raping a woman in her halls of residence. |
| Bartolomeo Joly de Lotbiniere, 22, was found not guilty of charges of rape and assault by penetration following a retrial at Bradford crown court. | Bartolomeo Joly de Lotbiniere, 22, was found not guilty of charges of rape and assault by penetration following a retrial at Bradford crown court. |
| He told the court the consensual sexual encounter with his fellow student in June 2014 was an embarrassment because he failed to perform. | He told the court the consensual sexual encounter with his fellow student in June 2014 was an embarrassment because he failed to perform. |
| The woman, now 22, went to police after seeing Joly de Lotbiniere on the television programme a year later. | The woman, now 22, went to police after seeing Joly de Lotbiniere on the television programme a year later. |
| During the five-day trial, the jury was told how the woman alleged the defendant had sex without her consent in her room at the University of York after a night out at the end of the academic year. | During the five-day trial, the jury was told how the woman alleged the defendant had sex without her consent in her room at the University of York after a night out at the end of the academic year. |
| Joly de Lotbiniere denied raping the woman and told police “these are horrible, horrible lies”. | Joly de Lotbiniere denied raping the woman and told police “these are horrible, horrible lies”. |
| He described to the court how he and the woman were part of a group that had gone out drinking in York and had returned to the woman’s hall of residence in the early hours of the morning when the pair started to kiss. | He described to the court how he and the woman were part of a group that had gone out drinking in York and had returned to the woman’s hall of residence in the early hours of the morning when the pair started to kiss. |
| He said he went to fetch a condom and then went into her room. Joly de Lotbiniere described sexual activity between him and the woman, but said he struggled to get an erection and the pair made a mutual decision to stop what they were doing. | He said he went to fetch a condom and then went into her room. Joly de Lotbiniere described sexual activity between him and the woman, but said he struggled to get an erection and the pair made a mutual decision to stop what they were doing. |
| Joly de Lotbiniere denied the woman had tried to push him off or had shown any signs she did not want to have sex. | Joly de Lotbiniere denied the woman had tried to push him off or had shown any signs she did not want to have sex. |
| He said he later sent the woman a text saying he “did a very stupid thing” and was sorry because he was embarrassed about his failure to perform sexually. | He said he later sent the woman a text saying he “did a very stupid thing” and was sorry because he was embarrassed about his failure to perform sexually. |
| The jury of seven women and five men took six hours to find Joly de Lotbiniere not guilty. | The jury of seven women and five men took six hours to find Joly de Lotbiniere not guilty. |
| The former history student, who was educated at a comprehensive school and has appeared on University Challenge about six times, sobbed in the dock with a handkerchief pressed to his eyes as the verdicts were read out. | The former history student, who was educated at a comprehensive school and has appeared on University Challenge about six times, sobbed in the dock with a handkerchief pressed to his eyes as the verdicts were read out. |
| He hugged his family in the public gallery before leaving the court room and declined to speak to reporters outside court. | He hugged his family in the public gallery before leaving the court room and declined to speak to reporters outside court. |
| Joly de Lotbiniere, of Kensal Rise, London, faced a retrial after the jury at his original trial at York crown court in February were unable to reach verdicts. | Joly de Lotbiniere, of Kensal Rise, London, faced a retrial after the jury at his original trial at York crown court in February were unable to reach verdicts. |
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