Waylon Grant: Geraldton man found not guilty of sexual penetration without consent after two-day trial

A Geraldton man accused of raping a woman has been found not guilty after a two-day trial.

Waylon Arnold Grant faced Geraldton District Court this week charged with two counts of sexual penetration without consent. The offences were alleged to have been committed in Karloo on July 31, 2021.

At the outset of the trial, Mr Grant admitted he did have sex with the woman but argued it was consensual.

In his opening statement, State prosecutor Gary Huggins said the complainant and Mr Grant were known to each other.

The court was told the woman had been to a party on July 31 where she drank a couple of glasses of wine and smoked some cannabis.

Mr Huggins said she left the party with a friend and walked to her father’s house but was asked to leave due to a no drinking policy.

As she walked to her ex-partner’s house in Karloo, the State alleged Mr Grant called out and invited her in.

Once inside, Mr Grant was accused of closing the bedroom door and sexually assaulting her.

However, the jury rejected this version of events and delivered not guilty verdicts.