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Oxford University student Oliver Mears who has been on bail for two years cleared of raping woman

Oxford: The student dropped out of university following the allegations: PA
Oxford: The student dropped out of university following the allegations: PA

A teenage Oxford University student who was accused of raping a woman has had charges against him dropped.

Oliver Mears, 19, was on bail for two years after claims he raped and indecently assaulted a woman in July 2015.

The chemistry student, from Horley, was charged in 2017 but on Thursday prosecutors dropped the case after reviewing the evidence again.

The Crown Prosecution Service said that it had “reviewed the case” and decided there was no “realistic prospect of conviction”.

According to The Times, it asked a judge to record Mears as not guilty.

He lawyer had complained that evidence had failed to be used but the CPS denied any issues with disclosure.

“We keep all cases under continual review,” a statement said. “Following a review of this case, prosecutors were not satisfied there was a realistic prospect of conviction as the evidential test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors was not met. We therefore decided to offer no evidence.”

The Times reported that some of the evidence was received as recently as last week but the CPS said evidence was provided by Surrey Police in May 2017.

This was then reviewed this month, before the decision was taken.

Mr Mears had just turned 17 when he was arrested. The chemistry student dropped out of university following the allegations.

His is the latest in a series of rape cases to collapse amid wider concern about the decisions taken by police and prosecutors when pursuing rape charges.

The Met announced it was reviewing investigations into rape and serious sexual assault after a rape case collapsed when it was revealed that police had failed to disclose crucial social media messages which showed that an accuser had lied.

A hearing into Mr Mears’s case will take place today. The law firm representing Mr Mears was contacted for comment.