An ordeal lasting six long years was over for three men yesterday when they were cleared of gang raping a woman who had actually dared them to have sex with her together.

She tried to paint herself as innocent, and innately good

A walk along the seaside in Senglea on April 9, 2006, led to a sex session in a nearby apartment involving an 18-year-old girl and the three men, including her cousin, aged between 19 and 20.

It was after the girl told the three of them that she could sexually handle all three of them at once that one of the men suggested they go to his apartment that was being refurbished.

But the following day, the girl went to the police and claimed that she had been gang raped. Six years later to the day, the three men she had accused were let off the hook and their nightmare ended.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera noted in her 113-page judgement that the girl had tried to paint herself as an “innocent, genuine and innately good” person when her own cousin had testified that she was very experienced when it came to men.

The woman had a 33-year-old boyfriend with whom she had had sex on the same morning when she was supposedly gang raped, the court heard.

This detail, the magistrate pointed out, discredited the woman’s claim that she first had sex when she was raped by the three men.

Rhys Fiteni and Ronald Briffa, from Senglea and Vittoriosa, who were both 20 at the time, and Keith Bartolo, also from Senglea who was 19 when the supposed gang rape occurred, told the court the woman had dared them she could sexually handle all three of them at once. She also said that she did not mind having sex with her cousin.

She told them that she was much better in bed than all of them put together and willingly accompanied them when Mr Fiteni suggested that they could go to his apartment.

A court-appointed medical expert examined the woman and found no signs of rape

The woman, who had been treated for psychological problems both before and after the incident, reported to the police the following day that the three men had forced her into having sex with them.

The four of them were walking along the seaside in Senglea when the girl started recounting dirty jokes. As the conversation became more and more vulgar, she boasted about her sexual prowess. They then proceeded to Mr Fiteni’s apartment, located close by, where they had sex.

She claimed that Mr Briffa held her forcefully but a friend of theirs who had met the group just moments before the alleged rape testified that it was true that Mr Briffa was holding her but not in a threatening manner.

The same witness also testified that when she asked where were they going, her friend replied she could not join them.

Another factor that discredited the woman, the court noted, was when she said that there was nobody in the area when they were walking along the seaside. In fact, multiple witnesses said that the area was packed with people.

A court-appointed medical expert, Mario Scerri, had examined the woman and found no signs of rape.

Magistrate Scerri Herrera concluded that the woman was not credible and so acquitted all three men.

Lawyers Joseph Giglio, Franco Debono, Charmaine Cherrett and Gavin Gulia appeared for the accused.