JURORS in the trial of a farmer worker accused of raping a student in Cornwall have been unable to record a verdict.

The jury in the trial of Davlatsho Davlatshoev, a farmer worker at Lower Trevaskis Farm at Conor Downs near Hayle accused of raping a student in Falmouth had been told by Judge Simon Carr that he would accept a majority decision as they had failed to come to a unanimous one after three hours deliberation yesterday (June 24).

But by 3.15pm they had still not come to a decision and were sent  home to return to court today.

However, by 12pm the jury had still failed to come to a verdict and a retrial was ordered to take place on September 7, 2022.

Davlatshoev, originally from Tajikistan, had pleaded not guilty to allegedly raping the student in Church Street car park on December 3 2021 after allegedly pulling her there while she was "the drunkest she'd ever been."

In a video interview played to the court the complainant said she had gone for a drink with a male friend at a bar who had then persuaded her to go out clubbing.

They had gone to various other clubs in the town before ending up at Club International.

In CCTV footage shown to the court, Davlatshoev can be seen standing with a friend outside Club International before the complainant begins to talk to his friend.

Davlatshoev is then seen moving positions to the other side of the alleged victim, a movement he says was so that he could hear her better.

The footage then shows Davlatshoev and the alleged victim kissing, before leaving the area and heading towards the car park in which the incident is alleged to have occurred.

The prosecution alleges that Davalatshoev took his victim across the road, down the tunnel to the car park, where he pushed her onto the ground by the bins where people usually went to urinate, and raped her. He then walked away and gathered his friends from the group he had come with, before leaving.

The complainant alleged Davlayshoev then led her to the car park while she was too drunk to resist and raped her by the bins which stank of urine and vomit.

Davalatshoev disputed this version of events, however, telling the court that he was the one that had been led out of the area outside Club International by the alleged victim and taken to the car park.

Whilst being questioned, Davlatshoev, who was speaking through an interpretor, told the court that he "had absolutely no intention of having any sexual contact" and that on that night he'd had no intention other than to see new people and experience British culture.

He said: "I was thinking that maybe she has a car, and I thought that this is what she wanted to do, sit in the car and talk to me."

Davalatshoev went on to claim that, once the two were in the car park, the alleged victim went on to kiss him again and that she was the one who then initiated sexual activity between them.

The retrial is set to take place at Truro Crown Court on September 7, 2022.