A man accused of raping and sexually assaulting a woman inside a Stratford-upon-Avon barbershop has been cleared of every charge against him.
Jowad Haji, 24, from Coventry, was unanimously found not guilty of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, assault by penetration and intentional strangulation following a trial at Warwick Crown Court.
Jurors deliberated for just over an hour before returning the not guilty verdicts.
The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had alleged that Haji attacked her inside the barbershop in January after allegedly offering her employment.
She reported the alleged incident several weeks later and Haji was subsequently arrested in February.
Defendant denied allegations
Giving evidence during the trial with the assistance of a Kurdish interpreter, Haji denied sexually assaulting the woman.
He told the jury that he had met her on several occasions before the day in question and claimed they had previously hugged and kissed.
Haji said the woman followed him into the rear of the barbershop, hugged him from behind and told him she had missed him.
According to his evidence, the pair kissed until the woman’s friend returned, after which both women left the premises.
Haji described their relationship as “close” but told the court that he did not find the woman sexually attractive.
He said he had “always been nice to her” and “would never in my life do something wrong.”
The court also heard that police found no Snapchat messages between the pair on Haji’s phone and that he cooperated with officers during their investigation.
Jury returns unanimous acquittals
After hearing the evidence, jurors deliberated for a little over an hour before acquitting Haji of all five charges.
Following the unanimous verdicts, Judge Anthony Warner told him:
“Mr Haji, that is it. The jury has acquitted you. The case is over. You will need to sign a piece of paper downstairs, but you should then be released shortly.”
The judge also thanked members of the jury for their service.
Haji was cleared of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, assault by penetration and intentional strangulation and was released following the conclusion of the case.
