Mark Pearson, a London based artist, was found not guilty on Friday of sexual assault by a court in London. According to anonymous sources, the alleged victim in the case claimed that a year ago that she was assaulted by a man in London's Waterloo Station who shoved his hand down her knickers and forced three fingers up her vagina. She was unable to name her assailant but he was arrested based on CCTV footage.
Aside from the obvious, that such an action would pose great logistical difficulty, it is also reported to us that the CCTV footage shows Pearson passing by the alleged victim “without breaking stride.”
The case against Pearson, 51, was apparently so questionable that the judge in the case suggested to prosecutors that the charges be dropped. Under Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) guidelines, it is required that the prosecution considers the likelihood of securing a conviction and whether prosecution is in the public interest before pursuing a criminal case. If not, the guidelines require them to refrain from action.
Despite the exculpatory evidence and the recommendation of the presiding judge, the prosecution pushed on. The acquittal comes on the heels of a 2015 pledge by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Alison Saunders to increase rape and sexual assault prosecutions by nearly a third. The beleaguered Saunders was under fire last year for failing to prosecute a member of her own office for child abuse. This has raised speculation that the pursuit of the case against Pearson may have been part of an effort to fill a quota or to regain public confidence in Saunders.
The alleged victim has been identified by sources as Souad Faress, an actress who plays solicitor Usha Gupta in The Archers. The Archers is a BBC Radio 4 serial that has run over 60 years and is the most listened to nonnews program on Radio 4 with over 5 million listeners. Faress is also slated to play the character of a high priestess in an upcoming episode of “Game of Thrones.” One source speculates that the CPS's decision to proceed with prosecuting on her behalf is, in part, based on the actresses’ high profile.
A court officer who stood next to the accused is alleged to have said something to the effect that she'd seen many men face charges that are fairly obviously false.
Aside from the obvious, that such an action would pose great logistical difficulty, it is also reported to us that the CCTV footage shows Pearson passing by the alleged victim “without breaking stride.”
The case against Pearson, 51, was apparently so questionable that the judge in the case suggested to prosecutors that the charges be dropped. Under Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) guidelines, it is required that the prosecution considers the likelihood of securing a conviction and whether prosecution is in the public interest before pursuing a criminal case. If not, the guidelines require them to refrain from action.
Despite the exculpatory evidence and the recommendation of the presiding judge, the prosecution pushed on. The acquittal comes on the heels of a 2015 pledge by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Alison Saunders to increase rape and sexual assault prosecutions by nearly a third. The beleaguered Saunders was under fire last year for failing to prosecute a member of her own office for child abuse. This has raised speculation that the pursuit of the case against Pearson may have been part of an effort to fill a quota or to regain public confidence in Saunders.
The alleged victim has been identified by sources as Souad Faress, an actress who plays solicitor Usha Gupta in The Archers. The Archers is a BBC Radio 4 serial that has run over 60 years and is the most listened to nonnews program on Radio 4 with over 5 million listeners. Faress is also slated to play the character of a high priestess in an upcoming episode of “Game of Thrones.” One source speculates that the CPS's decision to proceed with prosecuting on her behalf is, in part, based on the actresses’ high profile.
A court officer who stood next to the accused is alleged to have said something to the effect that she'd seen many men face charges that are fairly obviously false.
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Daily Mail Story
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Alison Saunders
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknew...
Daily Mail Story
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/artic...
Alison Saunders
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknew...
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