Atherton found not guilty

Millionaire founder of dabs.com cleared on five charges including sexual assault and attempted rape

Dabs.com founder David Atherton has been found not guilty of two sexual assaults and attempted rape.

He was also cleared last week of false imprisonment and making a threat to kill.

The high profile case took two weeks to be heard at Leeds Crown Court, but the jury took an hour to come to a unanimous verdict of not guilty on all five charges.

Atherton's solicitors branded the case a ‘waste of public money’.

Paul Schofield, partner in Farleys Solicitors special casework department, said: “It is of great concern that the police failed to investigate Mr Atherton’s assertions about the complainant properly, or at all. Had they done so, then perhaps a great deal of public money would not have been wasted.”

The case stemmed back to an alleged incident last August, where Atherton was accused of sexually assaulting the complainant at his £1.2m mansion, and allegedly threatening to drown her in his pool. The incident was also captured on CCTV installed at the property.

During the trial, the jury heard how the CCTV footage was part of an elaborate role play, and also heard details of the complainant’s ‘exotic’ sexual history. The court also heard how the complainant, who has not been named for legal reasons, was accused of “setting the defendant up”.

After the case closed Atherton revealed his intention to take legal action against “those that have wronged him”.

He said in a statement: “I am grateful that after eight months of hell, I have been vindicated.”