- Matthew Dickens, a former engineering student, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman at her residence.
- Verdict reached after a five-day trial at Gloucester Crown Court.
- The connection between Dickens and the victim was initiated through Snapchat in January.
A former engineering student, Matthew Dickens, aged 25, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman at her residence on two separate occasions.
The verdict was reached on Friday following a five-day trial held at Gloucester Crown Court.
According to the trial’s details, Dickens, who resides in Winchcombe near Cheltenham, initially connected with his victim through Snapchat in January.
After a brief deliberation of two hours, the jury reached a unanimous decision of guilt. Judge Rupert Lowe granted Dickens bail, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on October 12th.
During the trial, Prosecutor Giles Nelson presented evidence that Dickens, a student at the University of Gloucestershire, had been invited to the female student’s home after their initial interaction on Snapchat.
The two briefly visited a bar but left after approximately 10 minutes, returning to the victim’s residence.
“The woman, who was intoxicated, doesn’t have any recollection of returning,” added Mr Nelson. “But when she came to Dickens was still present. She presumed she had invited him in. There had been no discussion between them about having sex.”
According to Mr. Nelson’s statement, the victim recalls regaining consciousness in a state of undress, with Dickens engaged in sexual activity with her.
“She is adamant she told Dickens to stop what he was doing as he was not wearing a condom. She continued to tell Dickens to ‘stop’ but he ignored this. He then put his hands around her throat to such a point that she couldn’t breathe.”
The following day, accompanied by a friend, the woman sought medical attention at a hospital and subsequently reported the incident to the police.
Following his arrest, Dickens provided a prepared statement during his police interview, in which he vehemently refuted all accusations.
Jerry Hayes, the barrister representing Dickens, asserted that the sexual activity between the two students had been entirely consensual.
The court was informed that this marked Dickens’ second conviction for a sexual offense.
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