A taxi driver today told of his "living hell" after being cleared of raping a disabled woman.

Christopher Mace, formerly of Charter Way, Wallingford, was acquitted by a jury of seven women and five men at Reading Crown Court of attacking the 27-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer.

He was accused of raping and indecently assaulting the woman as he drove her home from college.

Mr Mace told the Oxford Mail he felt "very very relieved"as he heard the verdicts of "Not guilty" read out yesterday.

He said he had been forced to flee to Newcastle after:

*Enduring people pointing and staring at him in the street.

*Being branded a rapist by strangers.

*Being portrayed as "some kind of monster."

Mr Mace only returned to the county from his girlfriend's North East home for the trial. He said: "I knew I had not done anything. I was amazed it had got so far. It has dragged on for 15 months and it has been an absolute nightmare in a small town like Wallingford. I would not wish that on my worst enemy.

"I had to move because of what was being said about me. Wherever I went I could feel eyes boring into the back of me. I could not take it any more."

"I have been totally cleared. Now I can continue my life as normal and all the people who ever doubted me can eat their words."

He added: "I have got no idea why she said what she did."

Reading Crown Court was told the alleged victim had suffered from cerebral palsy since birth and had the physical development of a 12-year-old. She can only walk with the aid of a frame or walking stick or is confined to a wheelchair.

The court heard Mr Mace worked for Hills, a Berkshire-based taxi firm, at the time of the alleged attack as he drove along the B4009 from Newbury on October 7, 1997.

The woman arrived home 45 minutes later than expected. She claimed Mr Mace had locked her in the car "so she couldn't get out and walk". She told the court she was told to keep "their secret" after she was taken to woodland, stripped off and raped her in the back of the car.

But Mr Mace always denied the charges. He told the court he had been delayed after his car got stuck on a mudtrack when he pulled over to go to the toilet.

He described how he tried to get the taxi out of the mud using sticks and eventually some sawdust from nearby logs, to give the tyres some traction.

He said" "I had asked her not to tell her father because I thought he might complain to the taxi firm."

He maintained he had only touched the woman on the arm to reassure her that they would get out of the mud.

Story date: Saturday 30 January

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.