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PC Declan Gabriel cleared of sex offence charges PC Declan Gabriel cleared of sex offence charges
(about 1 hour later)
A police officer has been cleared of raping and sexually assaulting a teenage girl while he was on duty. A police officer has been cleared of raping and sexually assaulting a teenage girl while on duty.
PC Declan Gabriel, 28, had denied the charges against him, and claimed the teenager sexually assaulted him. Jurors at Northampton Crown Court found PC Declan Gabriel, 28, not guilty of rape and two connected sexual assault charges.
Jurors at Northampton Crown Court found the officer not guilty of rape and not guilty of two connected sexual assault charges. Prosecutors had claimed he sexually assaulted the 17-year-old twice and forced her to perform an oral sex act.
The jury was discharged from delivering a verdict on a fourth charge of misconduct in a public office.The jury was discharged from delivering a verdict on a fourth charge of misconduct in a public office.
Prosecutor Matthew Lowe had told the court PC Gabriel admitted a conversation about sex with the girl which had made him aroused.
However, PC Gabriel gave evidence saying the teenager sexually assaulted him, but he had been too "scared and embarrassed" to report it.
His barrister, Steven Evans, also told the court the girl's evidence contained "several demonstrable lies".
The prosecution has 14 days to consider whether to seek a re-trial on the misconduct charge.