Otto Putland, 23, pictured outside Cardiff Crown Court today, was accused of getting into bed with the 19-year-old woman
A jury was discharged today after failing to reach a verdict on a top swimmer accused of raping a young woman after she had sex with a fellow athlete from the Team GB Olympic squad.
Commonwealth Games swimmer Otto Putland, 23, was accused of getting into bed with the 19-year-old woman after she had consensual sex with his best friend Ieuan Lloyd after a night out.
The student said she slept with Mr Lloyd, a two-time Olympian who swam at London 2012 and Rio 2016, after bumping into him at a nightclub.
But she said he then ‘abandoned’ her and welcomed friend Putland into his bedroom, before switching off the light and closing the door behind him.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the girl – who cannot be named – said: ‘Otto and Ieuan were both having a conversation outside the room with the door open.
‘Otto asked if I was the girl from the club earlier. Otto came in and started taking his shoes off. So I text my friend for help because I thought something might happen. I told him: ‘What are you doing – you can’t just pass me around’.
‘He said: “We’re not passing you around.” I told him I didn’t want to have sex with him and he kept trying to kiss me.
‘Then he took off his boxers. He asked: “Do you want me to put a condom on?” I was crying and turning my head away from him.’
Putland (left) had been accused of jumping into bed with a woman after she had consensual sex with Ieuan Lloyd (right)
The woman had told police that after having sex with Mr Lloyd, Putland came into the bedroom and sat on the bed. Pictured, Putland competing in the 100m backstroke in 2014
She said Putland suggested they just kiss, so she removed her hand which she was using to cover her genitals.
But she alleged Putland forced her to have sex and told her: ‘Don’t worry.’
She said she ran to the bathroom to text her friend for help. The court heard that she texted: ‘Help, I think something might happen.’ But she then blacked out.
She said the next thing she remembered was being woken by her friend ringing back, only to find herself back in the bed with Putland having sex with her.
Putland in action in the men’s backstroke during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
The woman had gone back to the home of Mr Lloyd (pictured), a two-time Olympian who competed at London 2012 and Rio 2016
Timothy Evans, defending, pointed out that no text sent by the girl to a friend asking for help had ever been found.
Mr Evans said: ‘There’s nothing consistent at all in the evidence from the witnesses. Putland does not know why she’s made this up.’
Putland, of Dinedor, Hereford, denied two counts of rape.
The jury cleared him of one charge but failed to reach a verdict on the other charge after more than four hours of deliberation.
A decision will be made later about a possible re-trial.