Royal Marines captain cleared of raping woman at military base in Dorset
Ricky Shepard, 47, was found not guilty by a jury at Bournemouth Crown Court
A Royal Marines captain has been found not guilty of raping a woman after she came to his room at a military base after socialising in the officers’ mess.
Ricky Shepherd was cleared by a jury at Bournemouth Crown Court of charges of rape, attempted rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault in the early hours of November 24 2023.
The trial heard that the complainant had come to the room where the 47-year-old was staying at the Dorset base after they had been drinking.
The complainant told the court that she had taken off her clothes and got into the defendant’s bed but claimed she had told him that she just wanted to sleep and did not want to have sex with him.
Capt Shepherd told the court that he believed the complainant had come to his room for sex because they had been flirting and she had confirmed in a text message that she fancied him.
He said that the sex was consensual and he had been shocked by the allegation.
The court has heard that Capt Shepherd, who is separated from his wife, has no previous criminal convictions or military disciplinary rulings against him.
The father of two, who was based at the time at Hamworthy, Poole, also told the court that he had served the Royal Marines for 25 years and was the second in command of a tri-service squadron of 130 people.