Officer is cleared of raping race advisor

Peter Solley, aged 47, from Bexleyheath, Kent, was cleared of nine charges of rape and walked free from the Old Bailey, on Monday, December 10.

The accusations were made by a black police race advisor who worked with him to help improve community relations in the area where Stephen was murdered.

Sgt Solley, who received the MBE for services to the police in the 2000 New Year Honour's list, denied the charges.

He claimed he did not have a sexual relationship with her on his arrest but after he was confronted with DNA evidence finally admitted a limited affair.

The 51-year-old woman claimed he had raped her between 1995 and 2000 and that they had a temporary consensual relationship after the first three attacks.

She claimed he attacked her in her home and at Bramshill police training centre, in Hampshire, when they attended a seminar.

But her recollections became confused and she was accused of changing her account to the jury after she found her statement did not tally.

Prosecuting Patricia May said her accusations were "bizarre and inconsistent".

Judge David Paget, QC, wholeheartedly agreed with the Crown's decision to throw in the towel and said: "It seems to me that the victim's evidence is so manifestly unreliable, not only the allegations of rape but of collateral issues, no reasonable jury properly directed could convict."

It also emerged during the trial that she was paid to act as a mediator even though she had been jailed for six months and was sacked in disgrace from her job as a social worker.

Speaking outside court, Sgt Solley thanked family and friends who stood by him and said: "I must now seek to re-establish my own credentials within the new community where I hope to serve as a police officer as I did before."

Sgt Solley is still accused of perjury by giving false evidence to the Macpherson report.

The Crown is due to decide whether to go ahead with the case this Friday.

December 11, 2001 12:13

Andy Laithwaite