Man cleared of raping 14-year-old he admitted "forcing" was charged over another girl

A man cleared of claims he raped a 14-year-old girl was also accused of abusing a 13-year-old, it can now be revealed.

Marcus Tipping was found not guilty of rape by a jury last week, after he admitted messaging his alleged victim to apologise for "forcing her" and "sexually harassing" her.

And it can now be revealed that the 22-year-old was also accused of abusing a 13-year-old girl.

He was due to go on trial at the High Court in Paisley last week accused of abusing both youngsters.

It was claimed he raped the 14-year-old when he was 15 and abused the 13-year-old when he was 17.

But the girl who was allegedly abused when she was 13, who is now 17, withdrew her support for the prosecution on the eve of the trial.

The step meant the charge involving her had to be dropped.

He had been accused of abusing her at his home in Port Glasgow in December 2021.

She told a friend what she claimed happened, who told teachers at their school, and the police were called in to investigate.

The incident was added to the earlier claim from the first girl and Tipping appeared in court charged with both alleged sex attacks.

Prosecutors claimed that Tipping, who was 17 at the time, kissed the then-13-year-old, lay on top of her, and performed a sex act on her.

He denied the charge, brought under Sections 2 and 3 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.

But it was withdrawn by prosecutors as the girl no longer supported the prosecution, and he went on trial only in relation to the first girl.

Due to legal rules protecting accused persons, the jury had no idea a second girl had made allegations against Tipping.

He denied forcing himself on the first girl, claiming all sexual contact between them on the day in question, in December 2019, was consensual.

The court heard the girl messaged him on Snapchat the day after she claimed he raped her and wrote: "Are you aware you forced me when I said no?"

He said: "Yeh and I regret it." She responded: "Do you know that that's sexual harassment?"

He replied: "Yes and I'm sorry and I will never do it again. I'm not gonna do that anymore. Cause I felt really bad after doing it.

"What was I thinking? Yes I was aware and I know I forced you. I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart. I'm sorry.

"I feel like a bad person for forcing you. I forced you into sexual stuff and I realise that that's sexual harassment."

Tipping was asked about the messages while giving evidence. He said: "I don't really like conflict. I was trying to pacify her.

"I still saw a future with this woman. I was getting suspicious that she was twisting a story.

"I always try to avoid conflict. Due to my ADHD I struggle to fit in with anyone or anywhere."

When asked why he had used the phrase "sexual harassment" if she had been consenting, he said: "I was paraphrasing the stuff she had said before."

Tipping admitted lying in his police interview, by telling officers nobody had been in his house that day and that he had been playing computer games.

He explained: "I was told to lie to protect myself. I was 15 at the time so I was completely terrified with what was going on.

"I was 15 years old and I was panicking. I was panicking because I didn't know what was going on.

"I'm not afraid to admit I lied when I was younger to protect myself. She was wrong and I was only trying to pacify her. I was a terrified 15-year-old."