Eleanor Laws KC successfully represented students at disciplinary hearings at two separate universities who were each accused of rape. One student was facing allegations of rape and harassment from multiple complainants.
At the first hearing the complainant, a fellow student, had not wanted to support a police prosecution but instead chose to report the alleged offence to the university. The disciplinary hearing took place in college and was presented by a police officer before the Dean and a college panel. The panel determined that there had been no rape but there had been a breach of the conduct rules. The student accused was allowed to remain in college.
The second student was represented at a two day disciplinary hearing at a different university and again the allegations were dismissed and the student allowed to remain at the university.
These cases were significant because, at the time, the number of young males facing university proceedings for serious sexual misconduct had increased dramatically in response to media criticism that universities were not taking complainant’s allegations seriously enough. Findings against a complainant were exceptional.