A COFFEE shop owner has been cleared of raping a 21-year-old female student.
Terry Sleet, who owns Robertsons tea room in Station Road West, Oxted, walked free from Chichester Crown Court last Wednesday.
Following legal submissions made, Judge Robert Fraser had directed the jury to return the not guilty verdict.
Crown court clerk Peter Dingle told the Mirror: "At the end of the prosecution case, the defence made an application of no case to answer. This application was successful, and the judge directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict."
A Crown Prosecution Service spokeswoman said: "The prosecution decided there was sufficient evidence to charge the defendant with rape and it was in the public interest to present this evidence to a jury.
"The evidence was tested under cross-examination and consequently the judge decided there was no case to answer."
The Mirror understands this decision was made in light of the evidence presented in court, which revealed the alleged victim was actually less drunk than first thought, and therefore seemingly more capable of her own actions.
Mr Sleet, 53, of Sheridan Place, East Grinstead, gave the "tipsy" student a lift from fast food joint KFC in Brighton in 2006.
He accepted he and the woman had sexual intercourse in the back of his car, but maintained it was consensual.
Mr Sleet declined to comment when approached by the Mirror, but said he was "confident" the record would be set straight.
