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Search forCroydon College student's false rape accusation nightmare
07:00 - 11-July-2008
Jerome Palmer was detained for 30 hours by police, while they investigated the claims made against him.
The 20-year-old was questioned, held in a cell and had “intimate” body samples taken.
Eight months on, he fears his reputation is in tatters and he is finding it difficult to build relationships.
“My heart sank when I was arrested,” he said.
“I thought 'how am I going to be seen by other people?' I've never been in trouble with the police.
“It affects how I interact with people now, I worry about how they perceive me. It's made me a bit shy.”
Jerome was pulled aside by police as he went into college, and was arrested on suspicion of the attack on a female student last October.
The business diploma student says he was cleared after DNA tests ruled him out and because the woman who reported the crime failed to identify him as her attacker.
But the South Croydon resident added: “I started wondering if I could be in the one per cent of people who get put away on false charges.
“Imagine if I did go away for 10 or 15 years, and I got out and that's all people thought about me.”
Jerome accepts police have to investigate crimes but believes they did not have to arrest him for rape as he would have co-operated with inquiries.
And he does not understand why he had to be kept in a cell overnight when he hadn't even been charged.
“The cell was like insanity,” he said. “You are in a box, you cannot connect with other people.
“You hear other people in cells down from you, shouting to be let out. You can't go to the toilet without being watched on camera.
“It's very daunting to know every aspect of your privacy is taken away from you.”
Jerome was told the alleged rape had taken place in the college basement – where the gym is located.
He believes he was spotted going to the gym around the time the attack is said to have happened
He thinks he was arrested because he matched the description of the attacker which was given by the victim.
But he believes the balance of justice needs to be fairer on the accused until proven guilty.
“People need to be a bit more aware and listen to both sides,” he said. “We always get the victim's view but not the accused's who could be innocent.”
A spokeswoman for Croydon police confirmed that Jerome had been eliminated from inquiries.
UPSET: Jerome Palmer says he struggles to build relationships after being falsely accused of rape
CCRdf090708b by Danny Fitzpatrick
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