A MAN who posted the name of a woman who had accused him of rape was fined by magistrates yesterday (Wednesday, May 20).

David Mills, 24, had been arrested after being accused of the sex attack, but police took no action, the court was told.

But he felt was so strongly about it when he saw article published by Durham University’s Palatinate about an accused man being named, he placed a posting on its Facebook site.

The comment was swiftly taken down after it was spotted by editors.

Mills, of The Avenue, Durham City, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court and admitted naming a victim protected under the Sexual Offences Act, but said he had not realised it was a crime.

He was fined £335, ordered to pay the victim £200 compensation and £85 in court costs.

Sara Traynor, prosecuting, said the charge arose following the publication of an article in Palatinate last November.

Mills, who is a former Durham University student, named a woman he said made allegations of rape to the police against him.

He included details which would have made it obvious who he was referring to, the court heard.

Ms Traynor said when the editors of the Palatinate saw the entry they removed it.

The Sexual Offences Act guarantees lifelong anonymity to anyone making allegations of rape, whether an allegation leads to court action or not.

The hearing was told the woman stood by her claims.

In her victim impact statement read out to court, she said: “I feel distressed at the report that I saw, which is now in the public domain.

“It looks like I have been criminalised by the defendant for having reported rape.

“I am concerned this will make my peers think that the allegations I made were untrue.

“I categorically stand by my complaint –making the complaint was extremely traumatic.”

Kate Duncan, mitigating, said it was a case of naivety by Mills who never realised it was an criminal offence.

She said: “It is a shame he finds himself in this position, due to one silly mistake. He is sorry for what he has done."

She said Mills, who worked in the pharmaceutical industry, denied as false the rape allegations and claimed he was being harassed.

Mills was made subject of a 12-month restraining order preventing him from making any contact with the woman.