Christian Lethern, 35, acquitted of sexual assault and sexual touching charges in Coffs Harbour

A 35-year-old man who vehemently told police he was “not a f-cking rapist” has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman he met through Snapchat on the Mid-North Coast.

Toni Moon

less than 2 min read

February 11, 2025 - 10:44AM

Christian Lethern. Picture: Facebook.

NSW

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A 35-year-old man who vehemently told police he was “not a f-cking rapist” has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman he met through Snapchat on the Mid-North Coast.

District Court judge Michael McHugh described the case as “an oath on oath case” where the verdict hinged on the Crown proving their case against 35-year-old Christian Lethern beyond a reasonable doubt.

Before the judgement was handed down at Coffs Harbour District Court on Monday, Lethern’s defence solicitor John Carty told the court his client believed the interactions on the night of May 21, 2020 were consensual and the complainant was a “willing and enthusiastic participant”.

Christian Lethern has been found not guilty of several counts of sexual assault which were alleged to have occurred in 2020.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) argued in court the complainant was “terrified” and repeatedly said “no”.

Christian Lethern faced a week-long trial at Coffs Harbour District Court charged with several counts of sexual assault alleged to have occurred in 2020.

In evidence before the District Court, the pair were strangers before Lethern messaged the complainant, after seeing her Snapchat account and location before they met up at a Cornish St, Coffs Harbour residence.

In the judge only trial, Mr McHugh acquitted Christian Lethern, 35, of three charges of sexual intercourse without consent and two charges of sexually touch another person without consent due to not being satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the incidences weren’t consensual.

In his judgement, Mr McHugh raised inconsistencies of key witnesses including the complainant.

Christian Lethern maintained his innocence over several counts of sexual assault alleged to have occurred in 2020.

These included the omission in the complainant’s earlier evidence before the court that Lethern had performed oral sex on her, the timing of a Facebook facetime with a mutual acquaintance, what time the complainant had left the residence and contacted a “friends with benefits” for help the next morning and whether the complainant had a drink prior to attending the residence.