Rape trial will not hear from accused Inverness girls’ football coach
The man on trial at the High Court in Inverness accused of rape and other sexual charges, will not be giving evidence.
Lee Murray's defence lawyer Mark Stewart KC led no defence evidence and closed the defence case this afternoon.
After both Advocate Depute Adrian Stalker, prosecuting and Mr Stewart gave their closing submissions, the Judge Lord Sandison started his charge to the jury.
And as he explained matters of law, he said: "The fact that he [Murray] chose not to give evidence cannot be held against him in any way. We do not live in a police state."
In his closing remarks to the jury regarding Murray's special defence of consent, Mr Stewart asked the jurors to remember the girl's video recorded evidence in which she said she had consented to what happened and he suggested she had actively participated.
• Rape trial hears of accused Inverness girls’ football coach’s fears of being jailed
Murray (53) went on trial last week after appearing from custody.
He denies that on various occasions and locations between October 2021 and February 2022 including at Dores, on a layby in Essich Road and a location near Asda and elsewhere, he assaulted a girl aged 15 by engaging in sexual behaviour, having sex with her and raping her in his car.
Murray also denies that between January 2021 and February 2022 he sent the girl messages of a sexual nature and also images of himself naked.
He has lodged a special defence to the charge through his defence lawyer Mark Stewart KC, claiming what happened between him and the girl was with her consent.
Murray further denies two charges allegedly committed at an address in Kenneth Place, and elsewhere, where it is alleged that for his own “sexual gratification” or “humiliating, distressing or alarming” a person he believed to be a child aged between 13 and 16 but who was in fact an adult who was pretending to be the child, and sent her written sexual communication via social media and did therefore attempt to communicate indecently with a child contrary to Section 34 (1) of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.
A second charge contrary to the same Act alleges he sent the same adult posing as a child a sexual image by engaging in a video call with the woman and caused her to see him performing a solo sexual act.
Earlier today a senior member of a Highland child safety organisation told the court that she met the man on trial to discuss special workshops on the subject, and he told her he was interested in online safety of children.
Kerry Low (45), Inverness-based project manager with Safe Strong and Free, told the court that they get called on to help all sorts of groups including football clubs and this was how she met Murray when he was the head coach of the now defunct Thistle Girls FC in the city.
Mrs Low said they met later in a coffee shop and she was telling him about all the workshops they run, and he asked her specifically about online safety of children.
She told the court how some people can be manipulated into risky situations, and also into thinking they are in a relationship.
She was asked by Advocate Depute Adrian Stalker, prosecuting, what happened as a result and Mrs Low said she told him she would email him about a suitable workshop. However when she did email Murray there was no response.
The Safe Strong and Free website states its aim is to prevent sexual assault and the exploitation of children.
Lord Sandison is set to finish giving the jury his directions tomorrow.
