Shaughna Phillips, a reality television personality known for her appearance on Love Island, has revealed that a man she accused of sexual assault has been found not guilty following a second trial. Phillips, 32, shared her experience publicly on Instagram, stating that she accused the man of sexual assault five years ago during a massage.
Phillips recounted that she disclosed the incident to her mother shortly after the massage and later informed a partner. These disclosures were used as evidence. She stated that at the time of reporting to the police, she discovered she was the ninth person to accuse the man of sexual assault across four police forces in the United Kingdom.
"This is the first time I've been able to speak about what happened, and it's obviously not the outcome I was hoping for, not just for me or for the other girls who were affected by this case. But for girls everywhere," Phillips wrote. "This man was found not guilty by jury of his peers, and this is the system we have to trust to work. Sometimes it does, sometimes."
In 2024, the man faced a trial for the sexual assault claim and several other allegations, with a jury finding him not guilty on some charges, including the one brought by Phillips. The man has since been discharged, and the Crown Prosecution Service has decided that a third trial will not take place.
Phillips expressed her resolve to speak out again despite the outcome, stating, "Would I go through the whole process again, knowing what the outcome would be? Yes. Unequivocally yes. We must. We must never allow abuse of any kind to go unspoken about. We must continue to speak up not just for ourselves, but for the generation of girls that come after us."
She added, "For the girls we are raising, who I hope live in a world where they are believed. Where their voice is and always will be enough."
Numerous celebrities offered support to Phillips on her Instagram post, including Shona Manderson, Zara McDermott, Ashley James, Katie Piper, Georgia Kousoulou, and Nicola McLean.