Rape accused cleared of abusing 14-year-old after apologising for "forcing" her

A rape accused has been cleared of claims he abused a 14-year-old when he was 15 - after he apologised to her for "forcing" her.

Marcus Tipping said found not guilty after a jury heard he messaged his alleged victim on Snapchat and said: "I feel like a bad person for forcing you. 

"I forced you into sexual stuff and I realise that that's sexual harassment."

Tipping, who admitted lying to the police by saying his alleged victim had not been in his house on the day in question, was acquitted at the High Court in Paisley today.

The 21-year-old denied forcing himself on her, 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, of Port Glasgow, 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."

Advocate Depute David McDonald, prosecuting, asked Tipping why he said he lied before but was now telling the truth.

Tipping replied: "Because I'm no longer afraid of the truth."

He earlier told his trial he made a move on the girl while they were watching hit 1997 film Titanic on Netflix.

He said: "She led off with calling me 'hot'. I called her 'pretty'. She seemed quite flattered, from my perspective.

"I did the cliched, cinema, 'arm over the shoulder'. One of the romantic scenes came on in Titanic and I thought I'd make a move."

He said he asked her about more sexual activity and that she was "baffled by the question" but that she agreed and they continued.

But he denied that anything untoward had happened between them and was found not guilty today, Thursday, March 26, 2026.