Jury clears Wolf Creek actor over allegation he raped a housemate in a Sydney sharehouse in 1976

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Actor John Jarratt has been found not guilty of raping his housemate more than 40 years ago.

The 66-year-old Wolf Creek star had testified before the NSW district court jury he was seduced into having consensual sex with the woman in 1976 at the Sydney house they shared with his wife, Rosa Miano, and at least one other person.

The woman earlier told the court she was woken about 3am by Jarratt ripping off her bed covers and underwear before he pinned her down, covered her mouth with his hand and raped her.

Jarratt was charged after the woman went to police in late 2017.

But the jury took just two hours to return the not guilty verdict on Friday afternoon.

As the verdict was announced, Jarratt lifted his arms in elation and his family burst into tears.

“Thank you,” he said as he left the dock.

The actor maintained his innocence from the moment he was charged in August 2018.

“No man should have to go through what I have gone through,” Jarratt told reporters outside court as he hugged his wife.

The former housemate, who can’t be named for legal reasons, went to police in late 2017.

She told the jury she didn’t report the alleged rape to authorities earlier because she feared she wouldn’t be believed.