Gay policeman found not guilty of rape
A policeman and former Mr Gay UK has been cleared of rape and two counts of sexual assault.
Mark Carter, from Birkenshaw, was charged with sexually assaulting three men and raping a fourth in December 2009 while on a work night out.
The 28-year-old was cleared of three of the offences on Thursday.
The jury failed to reach a verdict over the third count of sexual assault and a decision will be taken next week on whether he should face a retrial.
Mr Carter, who won the Mr Gay UK title in 2006, was suspended by West Yorkshire police after the allegations were made.
He was accused of dragging the man by his hair into a hotel room and raping him.
He told the trial at Leeds crown court that he was “devastated” by the claims and had “embarked on an absolute living nightmare”.
Mr Carter said: “I’m not a violent person. We had gone back for mutual pleasure, a sexual encounter. I didn’t take him back to beat him up.”
In response to the sexual assault charges, he said the gay scene was “bitchy” with “drama queens who make things up”.
