A MAN has been cleared of rape after prosecutors decided to offer no evidence.

Joshua Ayeh-Amanor had been accused of raping a woman after a night out in Basingstoke in October 2019.

He stood trial at Winchester Crown Court earlier this year, but after extensive deliberations, jurors were unable to reach a verdict.

They were discharged, and a fresh trial date had been set for December 6.

But the 40-year-old's case was discharged earlier this month after prosecutors considered the case and offered no evidence to the court.

The defendant was given a verdict of not guilty and the matter was closed, Winchester Crown Court said.

The prosecution had said at the earlier trial in the summer that the Ayeh-Amanor, who gave his address as Nelson Road, Edmonton Green, London, was on a night out with the complainant in Basingstoke in 2019, and that he insisted she slept in his room after they had got a taxi home together as she was staying with his landlord.

Nicholas Tucker had told the court the victim woke up the following morning to find Mr Ayeh-Amanor on top of her.

But the defendant had denied raping her, and said that they had consensual sex.

His solicitor Emma Rance said the accusation of rape came about when she learned that he had slept with someone else.