Aoba Tanaka 
Sunderland winger Jack Diamond, 23, has been acquitted of charges of rape and sexual assault in a case involving a woman he met on a dating app. The verdict, delivered by Newcastle Crown Court, marks Diamond’s “total exoneration,” according to the footballer.
Diamond asserted that all activities with the woman at his home in Fatfield, Washington, on May 7, 2022, were consensual. The court heard that the pair had a casual sexual relationship since meeting in 2019.
Speaking outside the court, Diamond expressed relief and gratitude to his legal team, family, and friends for their support during the “hugely challenging” 18 months. Sunderland confirmed that Diamond would return to the club after being suspended since the charges were filed in March 2023.
The court learned that Diamond and the woman had an on-off relationship primarily centered around sex. On the alleged incident date, she went to his home for a “cuddle” but claimed Diamond “tried to force himself” upon her. Diamond insisted the encounter was entirely consensual, and he stopped when she requested him to do so.
Diamond’s lawyer, Eleanor Laws KC, argued that the woman developed feelings for him and was upset when he didn’t want to make their relationship more serious. The jury, comprising nine women and three men, delivered not guilty verdicts on both counts in less than an hour.
The spokesman for Sunderland announced Diamond’s return to the club’s Academy of Light training center, expressing that he would “resume footballing activity.” Diamond, who signed his first professional contract with Sunderland at 16, is poised to continue his career after enduring what his legal team described as a “nightmare.”
Throughout the trial, coaches and former players vouched for Diamond’s character, describing him as a talented and well-liked individual. The trial also revealed that Diamond met the accuser on Tinder, and their relationship was based on a casual, consensual understanding centered around sex. Diamond expressed regret about his immaturity and attitude towards the relationship, acknowledging a lack of awareness about the woman’s feelings.
