Three teenage boys accused of raping a 13-year-old girl were acquitted this week after a trial where distressing footage was shown, including sounds of ‘clapping’ and a voice telling the girl to ‘s*** it’. The boys, who were accused of the crimes when they were 12, 13, and 14, were emotional in court upon hearing the verdict.

During the trial at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court, the jury had to decide if the 14-year-old boy, previously deemed unfit for trial, had committed the acts near Newbold tram stop in Rochdale in February 2024 and whether he had influenced the other boys. The now 16-year-old and the now 15-year-old were also cleared of rape charges, along with all three being acquitted of two ‘joint enterprise’ counts.

The boys denied the allegations, claiming the encounter was consensual. Mobile phone footage capturing part of the incident, with ‘clapping’ sounds and offensive language directed at the girl, was shown to the jury. The court was told that some of the incident was recorded without the girl’s consent.

Prosecutors detailed how the girl was physically pushed and mistreated during the incident, leading to intervention by a friend. In the defense’s closing statements, it was argued that consent is more complex than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response, especially given the age and context of the individuals involved.

After almost 10 hours of deliberation, the jury found all three boys not guilty on all charges. The courtroom reactions to the verdicts were described as emotional, with audible signs of relief heard among those present.