Footballer Callum Harriott is cleared of rape by jury

Callum Harriott, 28, who was living in Rotary Way, Colchester, had denied a single offence of rape dating back to November 2019.

He was unanimously found not guilty by a jury after four hours of deliberations following a five day trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

Mr Harriott, who claimed he had consensual sex with the woman, nodded and put his head in his hands as the jury foreman delivered the verdict.

Mr Harriott, who played for Colchester United between 2019 and 2021, has also represented Guyana at an international level.

During his trial the court heard Mr Harriott met his complainant in Colchester before they later headed to a nightclub with their respective friends.

Footballer - Callum Harriott

During the evening the woman was seen to fall into a group of people on the dance floor and to tumble into a wall before vomiting in the High Street near Harriott’s car.

The court heard Mr Harriott had driven her back to his flat with one of his friends and the woman’s friend following behind.

The footballer told police he had been concerned about the woman and, seeing as his friend and the second woman were “cracking on”, he said it had made sense for them to all go to his house as it was nearest.

He claimed he had offered the alleged victim some water before she had a nap in the spare room to help her sober up.

Colchester United - Callum Harriott played as winger for the U's

Mr Harriott, now of Beech Road, Biggin Hill, London, said: “I said ‘are we having fun?’ and she’s like ‘Yeah’. I’m lying on the bed hugging her and she takes my hand.

“I get up and say I’m putting a condom on. I put it on and she’s turned on her side so I can have sex with her.

“She was perfectly fine and had sobered up. She was talking and wanted to have sex.”

Mr Harriott had been accused of taking advantage of the “visibly drunk” woman and raping her after she passed out on his bed.