JURORS took under an hour yesterday to clear an aristocrat of rape.
James Murray, left, had stood trial at Oxford Crown Court after denying raping the teenage girl while she slept in his North Oxford flat.
The 42-year-old, whose father is the Earl of Mansfield, told the court he had consensual sex with the 16-year-old on the night in June 2010 and on at least three occasions during the preceding days.
Following the week-long trial, the jury of seven woman and five men returned its not guilty verdict yesterday afternoon after 57 minutes of deliberation.
Speaking after his acquittal, Mr Murray, now living in Perth, Scotland, thanked his legal team and the jurors.
In a statement read out by his solicitor Michael Gleeson, Mr Murray said: “This has been the most difficult 18 months for myself, but most of all for my family.
“I will always be grateful to them for their unstinting support”.
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