Defendant's DNA found on alleged rape victim

Wednesday 15 November 2017

The Royal Court has heard that the DNA of a 45-year-old man accused of raping a 40-year-old woman was found on the alleged victim.

Peter John Brewer is pleading not guilty to one charge of rape and facing a jury trial in the Royal Court this week.

Reading out the list of admitted facts between the prosecution and the defence, Crown Advocate Conrad Yates said that an "incomplete and low level DNA profile that matched that of the defendant" was found in samples taken on the victim. A forensic medical examiner also observed physical changes on the victim that were consistent with recent sexual activity. However no blood or semen was found in the samples.

Yesterday, several friends of the alleged victim were called to give evidence for the prosecution. Most of them were guests at the party Mr Brewer and the alleged victim attended the night before the alleged rape. One of the women said that the alleged victim was "out of her head" during the party having consumed a lot of alcohol. She added that the following morning, the alleged victim came downstairs and asked her what had happened, "because she couldn’t believe she had been raped," adding "I never doubted my friend for a minute."

Another woman told the Court that she thought Mr Brewer was infatuated with the alleged victim and was convinced they would end up together. She added that the alleged victim was "very intoxicated" when she saw her kiss Mr Brewer.

The trial which is being heard by Royal Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith and a jury of nine women and three men; it is expected to last the rest of the week. Mr Brewer is expected to give evidence in his defence this morning.