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A YOUNG man has been cleared of raping a teenager.

Colin Bromley, aged 25, was alleged to have carried out the assault on the 18-year-old girl at his home in Abernethy Court, Horwich, last August.

But after a four-day trial at Bolton Crown Court, the jury found him not guilty of two charges of rape and one of attempted rape.

Bromley breathed a sigh of relief as he sat in the dock when the verdict was read out, while one person in the public gallery burst into tears.

He admitted in court that he assaulted the teenager, but denied raping her.The court heard that he threw a mobile phone at her, causing her nose to bleed, and that he grabbed her neck and threw her to the floor.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had alleged that 16-stone Bromley also threatened her with a samurai sword he kept next to his bed.

She told the court he put his hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming and pulled her by the hair before carrying out the rapes. But Bromley denied the allegations and said that after the fight they had started hugging, which led to consensual sex.

The jury spent four-and-half hours deliberating before returning their verdict.

Judge Timothy Clayson sentenced Bromley to three months in prison for common assault.

Bromley has already served the time while he was in custody awaiting trial.

9:27am Thursday 27th March 2008

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