Former Waterhouse footballer freed of rape and abduction charges

A former Waterhouse footballer, who was accused of raping a 16-year-old girl, was today freed of rape and abduction.

Stephorn Brown, 28, was found not guilty on both charges by a seven-member jury, following a trial in the Home Circuit Court.

The jury, which consisted of four women and three men, deliberated for an hour before handing down the unanimous verdict.

The Crown led evidence that Brown threw the complainant over his shoulder following a party on a Sunday night in October 2018, in Waterhouse and carried her home. 

It is alleged that Brown held down the teenager and raped her in his home.

But during cross examination, the complainant was unable to recall critical details before, during and after the sexual encounter, such as whether Brown was known to her and what time she reached home after the alleged rape.

She claimed she arrived home at 11 p.m., but the evidence said 3 p.m.

She also recounted details of the incident which were never reported to the police. The complainant for the first time recalled that Brown had torn his clothes during the encounter and that she had bitten him twice while resisting his advances.

Brown, in his defence, maintained that the sex was consensual, and that the complainant lied because of a disagreement. 

He also contended that they had known each other for some time before the alleged incident.

Attorney-at-law Richard Lynch represented the footballer.

- Tanesha Mundle

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