COURTS
Sunderland winger Jack Diamond cleared of rape and sexual assault
Footballer wept in court after hearing the verdict of not guilty
Jack Diamond was cleared of rape and sexual assault after a trial lasting five days
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A footballer has been found not guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a woman he originally met on Tinder after inviting her to his home.
Jack Diamond, 23, a player for Sunderland, denied assaulting the woman at his Fatfield house in Washington, Sunderland, in May 2022.
Prosecutors claimed Diamond forced himself on the complainant after agreeing before she came round that “nothing more than cuddling would happen”. But Diamond told the court all sexual activity between them that night had been consensual and he believed the woman had been “in a mood with him” after she initiated full sex and he refused.
On Monday a jury took about 15 minutes to find him not guilty of both charges. Applause could be heard from the public
