Mobiles in the dock

Michael's father, Colin, decided to appeal and that's when things really got interesting. They employed an ex-cop with the skills to investigate Michael's mobile phone. The police claimed it had been sealed away in the period leading up to the trial but in fact, it had been tampered with and critical conversations erased or not provided to the defence. Plus, it was revealed they had cloned his phone so they could monitor Michael's emails and phone messages and track his movements.

The scene was set for Margaret Cunneen to make mincemeat of the accuser's story in the retrial, as she forensically exposed holes in the stories of the accused and her friends.

Remember Brittany Higgins claiming to have a bruise on her leg from being raped on the Minister's couch – which turned out to be on the wrong leg? Here Michael's accuser repeatedly claimed he had assaulted her with his left hand, until it was revealed that hand was incapacitated due to surgery. Then she conveniently switched her claim to the right.

Then there was the size of the couch, which Cunneen proved was unlikely to have fitted the hulking young man and his victim if he assaulted her from behind, as alleged, unless he was somehow holding her in place.

Hundreds of social media messages were now available to prove the accuser had pursued Michael, even after the first alleged assault.

How about the fact when she woke up and allegedly found his fingers in her vagina she just asked him, "What's the time?" No sign of distress or alarm, only growing discomfort when she later realized everyone had seen her making out with Michael, who was a friend's ex-boyfriend.

The jury made the decision to toss the case out in less than 2 hours. Once they were presented with the truth at retrial, the decision was easy.

Michael had a family who had the resources and faith to see justice was done. Pity the other falsely accused when our police and prosecutors believe only victims and do their darndest to make sure that is the only story heard.