Courtroom Sketch
AS THE JURY filled back into the courtroom to deliver their verdict, the defendant, Clive Manyou, was stony faced, betraying no trace of emotion as he stared straight ahead at Recorder Gary Burrell QC, the man who was shortly to sentence him to six years in prison.
The atmosphere in court two of York Crown Court was tense as the forewoman of the jury rose to read out the verdict: guilty on two counts of sexual assault and rape. Amid gasps from the public gallery, the victim and her family who had sat through the whole trial, broke down in tears, whilst Manyou remained motionless. Manyou’s wife and friends left the courtroom quickly, his wife remaining composed to all outward appearances.
It had taken the jury of eight men and four women three hours and fifty minutes to reach a majority verdict, ten votes guilty and two votes innocent. The victim, her family and friends had spent that time nervously pacing the lobby of the Crown Court. Their emotions had been heightened earlier in the day when the jury had returned for the forewoman to confirm they had reached a verdict only to be contradicted by the rest of the jury. Having been being directed to reach a majority decision by the judge, the jury then retired for a further two hours.
Manyou leaving court after hearing his sentence.
Photos by Nouse staff photographers
When the verdict had finally been given, Judge Burrell QC sentenced Manyou to six years in prison, of which he will only serve three years. When the judge ordered the court officer to “take him down”, Manyou was led down the stairs to the cells as his wife left the court, only pausing on the steps to tell Nouse that “no words could describe” the events of the recent days.
During the court proceedings, the victim’s mother had claimed that the process was “more like a trial of my daughter than him [Manyou].” One of the victim’s friends had added that, by taking the case to court, she was “standing up and doing the right thing.”
The female student was supported throughout the four-day trial by her parents, her sister and half a dozen of her former housemates. Whilst her father spent much of the final day on this mobile telephone keeping the rest of the extended family informed on the progress of the trial, her mother, sister and friends tried to distract themselves from the case by discussing Big Brother and reading magazines in the lobby of the court.
In a bizarre incident on the final day, a security search of Manyou’s person revealed that he had been keeping a tape recorder in his bag, despite the fact that they are strictly forbidden in court. Manyou’s barrister, David Lennon, recovered a tape from the defendant’s car but said it did not contain any details of the trial.
Manyou, who was a free man on bail for the duration of the trial, arrived early every morning to avoid being caught by the waiting press photographers, dashing into the building with a hat pulled down and a scarf over his face to conceal his identity.
Manyou’s six-year sentence leaves his victim with the option of returning to York to complete her studies, safe in the knowledge of his absence. Speaking after the verdict, she urged all victims of rape or sexual assault to stand up and be counted, adding that the pursuit of convictions is the only way that rape can be effectively prevented.
