South Yorkshire Police officer cleared of rape charges

A jury at Leeds Crown Court cleared PC Rowan Horrocks after less than an hour of deliberations

A South Yorkshire police officer has been found not guilty of raping a woman at his home in Rotherham.

PC Rowan Horrocks was accused of raping the woman, biting her repeatedly and pulling out a clump of her hair during the alleged assault in 2021.

The 27-year-old officer told jurors that all sexual activity between the two was consensual.

On Friday, a jury at Leeds Crown Court found him not guilty of two counts of rape after a trial.

The court heard PC Horrocks and the complainant had exchanged flirtatious messages in the months leading up to the incident but had not spoken in person.

Prosecutors had claimed he persuaded her to spend the night at his house before subjecting her to "nasty, violent sex".

Prosecutor Gillian Batts said the woman "had been drinking over a prolonged period" and was "in no fit state to consent to anything".

PC Horrocks told jurors that all sexual activity between the two was consensual and that the woman "seemed fine" and "a bit merry".

He said the bruising to her chest, neck and breasts on pictures shown in court was caused by him giving her "love bites" but denied that he "bit her very hard, repeatedly" when asked by Ms Batts.