A MAN accused of raping a woman three times in an alleyway has been cleared.

A jury took just 10 minutes to find Aaron Poole not guilty of the offences today, Thursday, and the 20-year-old broke down in tears of relief in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court.

Discharging him, Judge Clement Goldstone said: “He has had 11 months, I imagine, of anguish awaiting the outcome of this case as a result of a very foolish decision on his part.”

Poole, of Clifton Road, Leigh, admitted going into the ginnel with the woman after they had spent the night drinking alcohol with friends but said that all the sexual activity which took place was consensual.

Judge Goldstone told the jury: “Whether a judge agrees with a jury is of no relevance to the court procedure, but it may be of some comfort for you to know I do agree with your verdict.”

During the four-day trial the jury of seven women and five men heard that on February 19 the alleged 20-year-old victim went out drinking with friends in Wigan before they returned to Leigh, ending up in the Pulp club.

Poole met her there after earlier drinking with friends in Manchester, said Neville Biddle, prosecuting.

At 3am they decided to go down a nearby back alleyway and the woman admitted to willingly performing a sex act on him.

She alleged that Poole then had sex with her three times and she denied she had consented to that.

They left the alley after being disturbed by someone going there to urinate.

After speaking to her friends and her gran, police were called at 6am.

Poole strenuously disputed her claims.

He told the court that while they had not spoken directly about having sex when they left the club 'it was in both our minds'.

Judge Goldstone interjected: “I don’t suppose they were going out to discuss Brexit."

Poole said he did not aggressively force himself on the woman and that as far as he was concerned nothing happened in the ginnel that was in any way against her will.

“At no point did she not consent,” he added.