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Case involving Carley Ingram and landlord Fergus Wilson dropped at Maidstone Crown Court

Additional reporting by Paul Hooper

A case involving a woman who made sexual abuse allegations against property mogul Fergus Wilson has been dropped.

Carley Ingram, of Vinter's Park, Maidstone, has been formally acquitted of perverting the course of justice.

Carley Ingram from Maidstone
Carley Ingram from Maidstone

In May 2014, Ms Ingram, now 42, told police the landlord had made advances towards her at the house she rented in Stagshaw Close, Maidstone, and later that he had demanded sexual favours from other tenants.

The mum-of-four, who waived her right to anonymity, told Maidstone County Court she told police the truth.

The beauty therapist said after Mr Wilson arrived, a conversation about her job turned to treatments and Mr Wilson asked her to massage his neck.

He later asked her to show him her uniform and when she put it on, over her clothes, he touched her sexually, she claimed.

Ms Ingram told the court she had been nervous about Mr Wilson’s visit because he had just announced he would no longer rent to single mums.

Property mogul Fergus Wilson
Property mogul Fergus Wilson

During the investigation, Ms Ingram told officers she heard he had tried to visit her on previous occasions and had propositioned other women in the street.

Mr Wilson was arrested and put on bail for four months but was later released without charge due to a lack of corroborating evidence.

In 2017, he sought to claim up to £10,000 from Miss Ingram for harassment, saying the claims were made maliciously.

However, in August of that year a judge ruled that Mr Wilson could not sue Ms Ingram.

On Wednesday, September 7, at Maidstone Crown Court, Ms Ingram was formally acquitted of perverting the course of justice.

'I'm happy that finally a line can be drawn underneath this. I'm looking forward to moving on with my life finally...'

Mr Wilson had taken out a private prosecution against her alleging she had lied about the claims and the Crown Prosecution Service took up the case.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that CPS lawyers did not believe the case has been made out and have dropped the case and have offered no evidence.

Mr Wilson was in court to hear the decision.

Speaking on the outcome, Ms Ingram said: "I'm happy that finally a line can be drawn underneath this.

"I'm looking forward to moving on with my life finally."

However, Mr Wilson's legal team has requested a review of the decision.

He said: "I've left it to the solicitors. We have gone back to the CPS and asked why they offered no evidence."

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