An Aberdeen man who stood accused of raping a 27-year old woman has been acquitted in the first trial to take place at the city’s high court since the outbreak of Covid-19.
A jury of 10 women and five men found the charge against former oil and gas worker Mounier Mouti, not proven by majority.
The remote jury, which was situated in the nearby Vue Cinema, heard that on the night in question the woman and a friend had been on a night out in Aberdeen city centre – where they visited Prohibition nightclub before going back to Mr Mouti’s flat.
Giving evidence last week, the woman claimed Mr Mouti had sexually attacked her in his bathroom after switching off the light and barring the door at his Fraser Place flat in March 2019.
Mr Mouti denied the charges throughout and lodged a special defence of consent.
During his closing speech Mr Mouti’s solicitor, David Moggach said his client had at “no point shied away from questions asked about what happened that night by police or this court”.
He told the jury that if the Crown Office was not able to prove Mr Mouti’s guilt in the case then they “must acquit him”.
Mr Moggach added: “You are going to make what will probably be one of the most important decisions in this man’s life”.
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