U.S. Denies Diplomat’s Mate Faced Rape Charge

WASHINGTON — The United States today denied that a man married to an American diplomat in London faced rape charges when the embassy there refused to waive his diplomatic immunity and enable him to be tried.

State Department spokesman Charles Redman told reporters that “more than a year ago, allegations of indecent exposure were made against a dependent of the U.S. mission,” and said the embassy deeply regretted the incident.

“As far as the embassy knows, there was no allegation of rape or assault,” he added.

A Foreign Office spokesman in London earlier today said the man, married to a senior U.S. diplomat based in London, was accused of savagely attacking and raping a British schoolgirl.

Redman said the man, whom he refused to name, citing U.S. privacy laws, was brought back to Washington for medical treatment at the time.

The embassy’s refusal to waive diplomatic immunity, which Redman said was consistent with longstanding U.S. policy on such issues, enabled the man to escape prosecution.

He said the man’s wife was not a member of the State Department, but refused to say which government agency she worked for.