JUDICIAL SHOCKER

THE Supreme Court has quashed a rape conviction of a Moroccan bricklayer for a sexual assault that took place more than 30 years ago.

Ahmed Tommouhi, 72, was incorrectly convicted of a series of sexual assaults in 1991, and spent 15 years in jail. However the assaults had in fact been carried out by another man who had a very similar physical appearance.

The key to the ruling was semen gathered at the scene had no genetic match to Tommouhi. The only evidence was his identification in a police lineup.

Furthermore, one of the rape victims, identified only as Nuria, has since admitted she mistakenly identifyied Tommouhi, due to his similarity to the true rapist.

Tommouhi was 40 years old when he arrived in Spain, but was arrested just six months later for these crimes that he did not commit.

He revealed this week that he refused to return to his home country until his name was cleared in Spain.