Ex-teacher wrongly prosecuted for rape and cleared after 26 minutes tells how witch-hunt ruined his life
Kato Harris is now jobless, broke and has vowed never to teach again
AN ex-teacher wrongly prosecuted for rape after a pupil’s rich parents pressured cops has told how the witch-hunt ruined his life.
A jury took just 26 minutes to clear Kato Harris last year.
But he is now jobless and broke and has vowed never to teach again.
Mr Harris, 37, said: “I had to give up my dream because of a crime I didn’t commit. I am unemployed and living in a bedsit. I am toxic.
"I’ll never work with children again — I will never put myself in that position of vulnerability.”
His 14-year-old accuser’s wealthy parents hired top law firm Mishcon de Reya, which then brought in ex-Met top cop Sue Akers as a private investigator.
Also on the payroll was Alison Levitt QC, a former principal adviser to the Crown Prosecution Service.
The pair previously worked on the failed Operation Elveden probe into journalist payments to public officials.
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Earlier this year, during a ruling on court costs, a judge criticised their role in the rape investigation.
Justice Martin Edmunds said the decision to charge Mr Harris with three rapes followed “enormous pressure”.
The dad of one, of Richmond, South West London, said: “If you have enough money, there are former senior members of the police and CPS who you can pay to improve your chances of securing a prosecution.
“What they did was legal. The system allowed them to do it.”
Despite being cleared Mr Harris lost his deputy head’s job. And the CPS is offering only £140,000 of his £183,000 legal bill.
The Met said a case review by Greater Manchester Police found there was no inappropriate access given to the girl’s representatives.