‘Dirty rich girl’: St Andrews student, 23, is called a liar on social media after reporting gang-rape by two men at charity fashion show that Kate Middleton took part in 16 years ago
- Woman, 23, alleges she was gang-raped at St Andrews student-run fashion show
- Kate Middleton walked the catwalk in 2002 and caught Prince William’s eye
- Claims forced into portaloos, raped by two men and assaulted by two others
A woman was allegedly gang-raped at a student-run charity fashion show in St Andrews.
The 23-year-old said the attack took place at the annual Don’t Walk Fashion Show in February last year.
Kate Middleton walked the catwalk in the 2002 show and famously caught the eye of the young Prince William.
The complainant said she regrets going to police due to the social media backlash she has endured.
She reportedly claimed she was forced into portaloos ‘like a deadweight’, raped by at least two men and assaulted by two others.
A St Andrews student, 23, said she was ‘gang-raped’ by at least two men and assaulted by two others after being forced into portaloos at a fashion show where Kate Middleton famously caught Prince William’s eye 16 years earlier
She said she was too drunk to consent to sex with the men, who were contracted to work at the show, which is not run by the university.
The woman, who has since graduated, contacted Fife Police the next morning.
But she now regrets doing so after a woman claiming to be the wife of one of the accused started sending threatening messages to her family, she told The Times.
Messages were also posted to her new employer’s public social media page via what appeared to be fake accounts.
When the suspects could not be contacted, police delivered ‘call-back cards’ to the addresses of the accused men inviting them to come to the police station or call 101.
Complainant said she regrets reporting the alleged attack to police following backlash on social media
Some forensic evidence is reportedly still to be analysed over a year after the report was made.
The woman claimed when she told Fife Police about the messages, they said it was a separate matter for the Metropolitan Police because they were received in London.
One message, posted to her employer’s LinkedIn page with several of her colleagues copied in, reportedly read: ‘Have you explained to your colleagues about the rape you made up?’
Messages on Instagram and Snapchat called her a ‘dirty rich girl’. A message was also sent to her mother via Facebook which said: ‘Your daughter is a liar.’
One person has been charged in Scotland in connection with an offence under the Communications Act.
Four men have been arrested over the case and released pending further inquiries.
The graduate told The Times: ‘If it happened to me now, I wouldn’t report it again.
‘It has only ended up bringing me more pain and humiliation. It was awful coming into work that morning with everyone staring at me.’
Rachel Krys of the End Violence Against Women Coalition said the use of call-back cards when investigating allegations like these was ‘extraordinary’.
She said: ‘It gives a lot of time for suspects to prepare their responses.’
A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘Call-back cards are a well-established tool used across all police investigations.’ The university has been approached for comment.