Ex-England youth footballer Liam Head acquitted of raping woman in car

A FOOTBALLER from Bovey Tracey has been acquitted by a jury of raping a woman in his car.

Liam Head, 21, a former England under-16 and under-17 international, was a rising star of the game when the alleged incident took place two years ago.

He currently plays for his home town club Bovey Tracey FC.

A woman claimed he raped her after first driving to an isolated car park in Chudleigh and then to a nearby lay-by where he had sex with her in the back seat.

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But the jury at Exeter Crown Court heard the sex was consensual and the alleged victim had been excited about meeting the footballer.

She made the claims because she was embarrassed about having casual sex with him on a first date.

Mr Head, of Newton Road, Bovey Tracey, pleaded not guilty to rape.

The jury retired on Monday morning and returned on Tuesday with a not guilty verdict.

He was supported in court by some of his team-mates.

The court was told the teenage girl had been extremely distressed after the alleged incident and immediately complained she had been raped.

But Mr Head's defence team said it was a case about casual sex between two consenting young people.

The jury was told the woman had told a witness that she 'fancied' the footballer.

She had enjoyed sex with him but then subsequently felt shame and embarrassment at her actions.