BIKER NEWS: Rebels member faces retrial over sex charges

BIKER NEWS -- A REBELS motorcycle club member accused of sexually assaulting a woman after a party at the group’s North Hobart headquarters has been acquitted of one count of ­indecent assault, but will face retrial next year on three ­further charges after the Supreme Court jury became deadlocked.

Benjamin Steven Craig, 33, of Granton, had pleaded not guilty to four charges arising from an alleged incident at the Letitia St address in the early hours of October 5, 2013.

After deliberating for more than a day, the four men and eight women of the jury told Chief Justice Alan Blow they were unable to form a majority verdict on two counts of rape, and another count of indecent assault.

On the fourth charge, that of indecent assault, the jury returned a majority verdict of not guilty.

Chief Justice Blow thanked jurors for their service and ­ordered Mr Craig back to court in February.

This article was first published on December 2, 2015

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