Liam Allan to sue police: student cleared of rape plans legal action over 'failure to disclose' texts that proved his innocence

A London student accused of rape plans to sue the Met Police and Crown Prosecution Service after they failed to pass on crucial evidence proving his innocence.

Liam Allan, 22, from Beckenham, south-east London was on bail for almost two years and spent three days in the dock at Croydon Crown Court before his trial collapsed last week.

Police are understood to have looked at thousands of phone messages when reviewing evidence but it was not until the prosecution was close to trial that Met officers disclosed messages between the complainant and her friends which cast doubt on the case against Mr Allan.

In one message, sent on September 3, 2015, the accuser is reportedly said to have told a female friend, “it wasn't against my will or anything”, while discussing her sexual experiences with Mr Allan.

His lawyer Simone Meerabux told the Sun on Sunday: “Mr Allan lost two years of his life because of gross negligence.

“We are considering legal action against the police and the CPS.”

In a Facebook post following the collapse of the trial the University of Greenwich psychology student added: “I am in no way walking away from my experience or anyone else’s and will continue to fight for future changes to the failings of the system.”

The judge has called for an inquiry at the “very highest level” of the Crown Prosecution Service and a review of disclosure of evidence by the Metropolitan Police.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We are aware of this case being dismissed from court and are carrying out an urgent assessment to establish the circumstances which led to this action being taken.

"We are working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and keeping in close contact with the victim whilst this process takes place."

A spokesman for the CPS said: "A charge can only be brought if a prosecutor is satisfied that both stages of the Full Code test in the Code for Crown Prosecutors are met, that is, that there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and that a prosecution is required in the public interest.

"All prosecutions are kept under continuous review and prosecutors are required to take account of any change in circumstances as the case develops.

"In November 2017, the police provided more material in the case of Liam Allan. Upon a review of that material, it was decided that there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

"Therefore we offered no evidence in the case against Liam Allan at a hearing on December 14 2017.

"We will now be conducting a management review together with the Metropolitan Police to examine the way in which this case was handled."