A 25-year-old man was acquitted of attempted rape of a young woman at a home in Nuku’alofa in May last year.

Maka Manu who pleaded not guilty to two counts of attempted rape and serious indecent assault had stood trial.

Lord Chief Justice O.G. Paulsen in a verdict delivered on July 3 at the Supreme Court, found him not guilty on both charges.

"After looking at all the evidence the charges have not been proven."

The Chief Justice said, the Court was presented with two quite different versions of events, one advanced by the young woman and one by Manu.

He said there is little by way of substantive corroborating evidence to support either account. In such cases, close regard to the burden and standard of proof is particularly important.

“Standing back and looking at all the evidence, the prosecution has failed to satisfy me to the required standard that Manu attacked the young woman, committed any indecencies upon her or attempted to rape her,” said the Chief Justice.

An order was issued suppressing the publication of the young woman's name and her evidence during trial.