The Liege Criminal Court on Wednesday acquitted a 26-year-old man accused of raping a woman while she was under the influence of alcohol.
The woman was found unconscious in the toilet of a café in Liège and did not remember the scene. However, the defendant maintained that she had consented. The police said they were not aware of the incident, which took place on 15 December 2018 in the Carré de Liège.
The woman, who had just broken up with her partner, was found unconscious by a friend in the toilets of a café in the city's festive centre. She had no recollection of the events leading up to her discomfort, but noticed that she had been subjected to sexual intercourse.
The investigation had identified the defendant, since the two protagonists had become friends on Facebook on the night of the events.
The victim filed a complaint a few days later and claimed that she had been assaulted and raped while in a vulnerable situation.
The defendant, who faced a 40-month prison sentence, consistently claimed that it was the victim who had insisted on their having sex, as she wanted to have fun after a romantic break-up. He also claimed that she did not appear to be in a state that made her incapable of giving consent.
The court accepted the defendant’s arguments and acquitted him.
