Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint slammed a childhood friend who had been arrested for a sexual assault on an underage girl at the star's 18th birthday party last year. Joshua Lodge, 19, who had attended the same secondary school as Grint, was accused of inappropriate behavior after he was caught by Grint's father with a "young girl" at the 2006 party in Hertfordshire, England.
Lodge appeared in St Albans Crown Court on Monday where he was due to stand trial for sexual activity with a child - charges which he has always pleaded not guilty to.
However, Lodge escaped jail time and walked free from court with only a caution. But he was forced to sign England's sex offenders register. Grint could have been called to testify had the trial gone ahead.
Prosecutor Ann Evans says of the decision, "I take the view that the nature of the offense was such - two teenagers at a party where, unfortunately, on all sides, too much drink was taken - that a caution would be appropriate."
In a statement released on Monday, the actor condemned his former friend and expressed his support for the victim. He said: "I am totally appalled and disgusted by the actions of Mr Joshua Lodge. I am 100 percent behind the victim and indeed all victims affected by this type of crime."
A police detective said that Lodge should consider himself fortunate to receive a caution. "The maximum sentence is 14 years. Although he would never have got that, if he had admitted it to us at the time it would have saved a lot of aggravation."
