Shropshire Star

Group of men cleared of rape by court

A group of men who were alleged to have passed around a young girl and raped her in the back of vehicles have all been cleared.

Published

The prosecution had alleged that the girl was abused between the ages of 13 and 17 after she had been identified as vulnerable. She refused to give evidence at Mold Crown Court.

The case against the six men, some of whom were from the north Shropshire area, was adjourned for several days but then the prosecution offered no evidence against them when the witness made it clear she would not return to testify.

Rocky Evans, 22, of Old Hall Road, Elton, Chester, denied four charges of rape, one charge of sexual assault, and two charges of people trafficking for sexual exploitation; James Dean Evans, 21, of Alvaney View in Elton, faced three charges of rape; Jimmy Dean Holden, 20, of River View caravan park, Tan House Lane, Widnes, faced two rape charges; Silvester Martin Price, 19, of Ascot Close, Albany Park, Oswestry, faced one rape charge; Danny Arthur Roberts, 31, of Park Hall caravan site, Oswestry, faced two rape charges; and Billy Joe Evans, 21, of Park Hall caravan site, Oswestry, faced one rape charge. But all were all formally found not guilty.

A second related trial involving the same complainant against eight other men did not get off the ground when the prosecution offered no further evidence against seven of them. They were also formally found not guilty.

A case against Isaac Lowther, 24, of Little Lane Caravan Park at Goose Green, in Wigan, was adjourned for trial. But he pleaded guilty to a charge of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity against a second complainant and was jailed.

Judge Niclas Parry then lifted a Contempt of Court Act order imposed earlier to prevent the prejudice of related proceedings. Previously found not guilty were Thomas Lloyd Wilson, 18, of Warren Road, Market Drayton, who had been bailed to another address, who faced three rape charges; Levi Gorman, 18, of Ince Lane, Elton, Chester, who faced one charge of rape and one charge of human trafficking; Thomas David Beaney, 21, Chester Road, Pentre, Deeside, who faced one count of rape and one of sexual assault; Miles Berry, 23, of King's Road in Connah's Quay, who faced three counts of rape and one charge of people trafficking; James Anthony Doran, 23, who lives in a caravan site at Maidstone in Kent, who was charged with one rape offence, two charges of sexual assault, people trafficking; Paddy Doran, 18, of Tara Park Caravan Site, Oil Lane, Liverpool, who faced two charges of rape and one charge of people trafficking; and Stephen Berry, 18, of Factory Road in Sandycroft, who faced one rape count.

James Doran had admitted possessing and distributing an indecent video clip of a child and got a suspended prison sentence