A Workington man cleared of sex charges has called for a change in the law to protect the identity of people facing such allegations.

Turgay Denli, 29, says suspects should only be named if they are convicted. He was today cleared of raping and sexually assaulting a woman, who can not be named for legal reasons, after five day trial at Carlisle Crown Court.

Prosecutors had alleged that Mr Denli raped and sexually assaulted the woman in his car while he was giving her a lift home in December, 2016. The pair had met while they were both out and about in Workington.

In his evidence, the takeaway worker, previously of King Street, Workington, told the jury he and the woman held hands and kissed after he pulled over.

He said he then drove to Whitehaven Harbour, where the woman had undressed before they had sex in his car.

Asked if at any point he had forced himself on the woman, Mr Denli replied: "No."

He insisted she did not tell him to stop and nor did she say at any point that she didn’t want it to happen.

Neither did he think she was drunk, as others reported.

Speaking after the not guilty verdicts, Mr Denli said: "It's been hell.

"This has been going on since December 2016, and it's dramatically affected my life. I've had to live away from my family. Freedom is the most important thing in life.

"My good name has been affected but now I have been cleared. A person's name should only be made public if they are convicted of an offence like this."

He added a thank you to his family for standing by him during the legal process.