A CONVICTED serial rapist accused of kidnapping a fellow cellmate at a Hampshire prison has been found not guilty.

Paul Kent, who was jailed for 19 years for raping four women in Basingstoke, was one of three defendants accused of kidnapping and falsely imprisoning Wayne Curtis at HMP Winchester last year.

Kent, 38, Matthew Finn, 24, of HMP Bullingdon, Oxfordshire, and Ben Harris, of HMP Swaleside, Kent, had all pleaded not guilty to the two charges and were due to stand trial at Winchester Crown Court.

But on Monday, which was meant to be the first day of the trial, Colin Meeke, trial prosecutor, said Mr Curtis no longer wanted to give evidence.

He said: “I have tried to see him in the cells, first at about 10.45am, and then gave him a bit of time to think about his position.

“He has indicated he does not wish to give evidence.”

Mr Meeke said Mr Curtis, as the alleged victim, was the principal witness and formally offered no evidence against the three defendants.

Addressing the defendants, Recorder Marcus Tregilgas-Davey said: “The prosecution are not able to force Mr Curtis to give evidence and therefore I find you not guilty of the allegations put against you.”

In August 2013, Kent, formerly of Belle Vue Road, Old Basing, was found guilty by a jury of 20 crimes, including rape, sexual activity with a child and sexual assault. He was acquitted of 10 others.

The 39-year-old, now of HMP Long Lartin, Worcestershire, had raped four different women in Basingstoke over a period of eight years, forcing them into depraved sexual acts.

During the trial, Kent either denied having sex with the women, or said that the sexual acts were consensual.

At the trial, Judge Guy Boney said the crimes Kent committed were amongst the most depraved the court had ever heard about.

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