Husband tracks down alleged rapist on Facebook ten years after his wife was attacked in an alley as a schoolgirl

Alleged victim's spouse pretended to be hosting party for his wife on the social networking site and spoke to old school friends to find the accused



His wife claims Marsh, now 38, of Rochester, Kent, raped her as a schoolgirl 10 years ago

Andrew Marsh, of Rochester, Kent, who denies rape and indecent assault

A husband used Facebook to track down a man who allegedly raped his wife as a schoolgirl after she broke down and told him about her ordeal, a court heard.



The alleged victim's spouse confronted Andrew Marsh, now 38, by pretending to plan a surprise party for his wife via the social networking site.



Married greengrocer Marsh, of Rochester, Kent, was arrested and charged with raping the woman in an alleyway 10 years ago when she was a schoolgirl and he was 27, after her husband convinced her to finally report the historic alleged rape to police.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the alleged victim - who cannot be named for legal reasons - only entrusted her husband with the rape claims during a talk about the lack of intimacy in their relationship.

She told him she had a relationship with Marsh which had started as just cuddling and kissing after school but ended with him allegedly raping her against a wall.

The court heard the frightened girl went home and told no-one of the alleged abuse until she broke down and told her husband last year.

The jury was told that the wife feared her marriage was on the verge of collapse and eventually told her husband Marsh’s name because he kept 'badgering' her.

Her revelation prompted her horrified husband - who also cannot be named - to use the social networking site to speak to old friends and track down Marsh’s phone number.

He contacted the alleged rapist and visited him at his home where he attacked him. Police were then alerted to the rape allegations, the court heard.

The jury heard the alleged rape victim says she had never thought about telling the police about her claims until her husband encouraged her to do it.

The alleged victim told the court: 'I didn’t want to tell him who he was because I was scared what he would do.

'He told me I had to call the police otherwise he would be prosecuted for assault.'

Marsh, of Rochester, Kent, denies rape and indecent assault between February and March 2001.

Trial: Maidstone Crown Court (pictured) was told the woman's spouse confronted her alleged attacker after he 'badgered' his wife into revealing Andrew Marsh's name



'I didn't want to tell him [my husband] who he was because I was scared what he would do'

Alleged rape victim

The court heard the 'very friendly, chatty and flirty' grocer ran a shop in Chatham High Street, Kent, which was often visited by schoolgirls.



A relationship between Marsh and the teenager developed into cuddling and French kissing, the court heard, when Marsh walked her to catch a bus home.



But shortly before her birthday it is alleged Marsh led the girl into an alleyway - pinned her against a wall and raped her.



After the alleged attack the girl went home and told no-one about what had happened until last year.



Following his arrest, Marsh told police he could recall kissing and cuddling the teenager, and said he may have touched her breasts.



Isobel Ascherson, prosecuting, said: 'He was kissing and touching her and she made it clear to him she didn’t want to go that far.'

The prosecutor told the court had the alleged victim pinned against the wall and raped her 'despite her objections and her real, real desire for this not to be happening.'

The court was told Marsh was 'very clear' in his police interview that 'there was not sexual intercourse'.