{"id":4898,"date":"2018-03-07T09:26:59","date_gmt":"2018-03-07T09:26:59","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2019-06-28T11:19:46","modified_gmt":"2019-06-28T11:19:46","slug":"r-v-c-2004","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawteacher.net\/cases\/r-v-c-2004.php","title":{"rendered":"R v C (Barry)"},"content":{"rendered":"

R v C (Barry) [2004] EWCA Crim 292<\/strong><\/p>\n

Marital Rape \u2013 Consent \u2013 Abuse of Process \u2013 Article 7(1) European Convention on Human Rights<\/strong> \u2013 R v R<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Husband Can Be Convicted of Raping Wife Retrospectively<\/p>\n

Facts<\/h3>\n

The defendant was convicted on a number of counts of sexual and violent offences against four different women between the years of 1967-1987. This case concerns a conviction of rape against his wife at the time (third count). The defendant married the complainant in 1967. There was a history of abuse and violence in the marriage and it ended in 1971. The rape occurred when they were married. The complainant had suffered a miscarriage and was in hospital. When she was released, the defendant wanted to have sexual intercourse, but she did not consent. She made this clear to him.<\/p>\n

Issues<\/h3>\n

The defendant appealed against his conviction of rape, arguing the incident took place before R v R 1991<\/em><\/strong> stated that a husband could be convicted of raping his wife; at the time, there was common law principle of irrevocable consent to sexual intercourse with the husband. This was an abuse of process and contravened Article 7(1) of the European Convention of Human Rights<\/strong>, which states no one can be found guilty if \u2018any act or omission did not constitute a criminal offence under national or international law at the time when it was committed.\u2019<\/p>\n

Decision\/Outcome<\/h3>\n

Appeal dismissed. The court stated that \u2018his marriage certificate did not entitle him to force his unwanted sexual attentions on her\u2019 [26]<\/strong>. This confirmed the cases of R v R<\/em><\/strong> and R v Graham L<\/em><\/strong>and that a husband can be convicted of the rape of his wife. There was also no infringement of the defendant\u2019s Convention rights and no abuse of process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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