Granted bail

In the UK you don't usually have to pay a surety for bail like in America. If they think you might abscond they usually remand you in custody, there isn't really an in-between. Most people are granted bail unless its a violent offence like murder.

At 8pm I was told I had been granted conditional bail and signed a few forms in front of DC Dial. He told me not to contact Eleanor, and that I had to spend every night in my flat and notify the police of intentions of travel.

He also told me that they had been to my flat and not taken anything. The police gave me back my possessions that I had given them the day before in the police station, apart from my phone, and DC Dial showed me the way out of the police station and told me where I was.

I walked all the way back from Nottinghill back to my flat in Chelsea, about 3 or 4 miles. I needed the fresh air. I just could not believe what had just happened. I remember walking past various pubs and bars on my way home. It was Saturday night. People were relaxing and having fun. I felt like an alien. I was now on bail and a rape suspect.

I wanted to speak to someone about what had happened but had no phone and no phone numbers on me. The police had seized it. When I arrived at my flat an hour later I plugged in my land line telephone and called my father. It was 9pm and wasn’t sure if he was still awake.

He answered and I told him that it was nice to hear his voice. He asked me if I was alright and then no words came out of my mouth for about 30 to 60 seconds. I completely broke down and couldn't even talk. He was very worried and kept asking what was wrong but I couldn't even answer I was so upset. I couldn’t physically do it. I was utterly exhausted and shattered from the whole experience.

Eventually my voice came back and I then started to explain that “the girl” who I'd told him about over Christmas period had accused me of rape and that I had been in police custody for 26 hours. I was so relieved that I had told him full details of my time with Eleanor over the Christmas period, because it meant that he immediately understood what had happened. That night my father and stepmother did not sleep at all. They were awake all night and very upset.