“IT’S ruined my life”. Those were the words of a man cleared of raping a teenager after a night out in Poole.

Speaking to the Daily Echo after the verdict at Bournemouth Crown Court on Thursday (Sept 9), Nathaniel Jones, 30, said: “It’s ruined my life. I had my own business and my son taken away from me.

“I fell out with my business partner, I fell out with my ex-Mrs.

“I’ve had no drive, I’ve not slept well and not eaten well.”

This week a trial heard prosecutor Adam Feest tell the jury of seven women and five men that the 19-year-old complainant was out drinking with two female friends in Poole last November.

He said that, after visiting bars and a club, she accompanied Mr Jones, of Prosperous Street, back to his flat, where they drank wine.

She became unwell, being sick twice, and went to sleep in his bed.

She told police that she awoke in pain with Mr Jones having sex with her.

Defending, Iain Ross said the sex was consensual and that Mr Jones had got into bed with the complainant soon after she went in to go to sleep. Giving evidence, Mr Jones said the woman was a willing participant and “freaked out” afterwards.

Mr Ross said: “There was absolutely no problem as far as he was concerned with sharing his bed, that she was in.”

Speaking after the case, Mr Jones, who was supported by a group of friends in court, also attacked the legal system, which grants anonymity to women who make a rape accusation.

He added: “It’s not nice to have something like that hanging over your head for all that time.

“In America you can do the person for defamation of character but here you can’t, you have to take it on the chin.”