Civil servant rape accused walks free

A senior member of the Lord Chancellor's Department - accused of raping another high-flying civil servant after a "get-to-know-you party" - walked free today after charges against him were thrown out by the judge.

Michael Burrell's trial was halted earlier this month after his alleged victim fell ill.

She later made a statement saying that she could not face the trauma of another trial.

As a result the prosecution said they were offering no evidence against Burrell, and Mr Justice Aikens entered not guilty verdicts and freed the civil servant.

Burrell, 36, a bachelor from Crawley, West Sussex, was working as a senior civil servant in the Department for Constitutional Affairs when the incident occurred. He had been involved in aspects of the Hutton Inquiry.

He denied raping and indecently assaulting the woman on September 29 last year.

After his arrest he claimed she had instigated sex and consented to what went on.