A Polish national has been cleared of sexually assaulting and repeatedly raping a 'good Samaritan' just 14 months after she was raped by another stranger she stopped to help.

It was alleged Mateusz Sura, 25, dragged the woman down an alleyway in Maidstone in December last year and subjected her to a 'petrifying' ordeal after asking her for directions.

But Sura denied the attack, claiming the woman initiated sex with him after he stopped to ask her how to reach the town's train station.

He had been visiting his mum in Maidstone when he was accused of repeatedly raping her.

It was the second time in just over a year that the woman, in her 30s but who cannot be named for legal reasons, had claimed to have been raped by a stranger she stopped to help.

She was first attacked in September 2015 by Ryan Clifford at Swanley train station.

The 28-year-old had escaped a psychiatric unit two days earlier and the woman, believing he was ill, asked if he wanted her help.

On that occasion, however, her kindness was repaid by Clifford attacking her on the deserted platform.

He denied rape and sexual assault but was convicted in February at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent and ordered to be detained indefinitely under the mental health act.

But at the same court her second alleged attacker was found not guilty of all charges after the jury deliberated for just over three hours.

He had denied five offences of rape and one of assault by penetration.

The court heard the woman was attacked after she had shown Sura to the bus stop he needed.

It was alleged she was dragged down a narrow, unlit alleyway and repeatedly raped, before being forced to a quieter area by a row of garages so his attack could continue.

Prosecutor Peter Forbes said the woman was left bleeding and covered in mud from the early evening attack on December 12, but managed to flee after Sura was disturbed by a light in a neighbouring property.

Sura, of Tiverton Road, Tottenham, north London, was later traced through CCTV footage showing him waiting to board a train to London.

His DNA was also left in a used condom found by police at one of the rape scenes.

However, following his arrest, he said the alleged victim initiated sex with him after he asked her for directions.

The jury was also told he maintained their sexual encounter was consensual.

The woman was walking to shops at about 6pm on December 12 when Sura asked for help to get home to London.

Mr Forbes said she helped him to find the correct bus stop but felt uncomfortable because Sura was drinking lager, kept asking her for cannabis and came 'too close' to her.

It was alleged Sura then pulled the woman into the alleyway and tried to kiss her before putting his hand down her trousers and sexually assaulting her.

She said he then pinned her face up against a fence to twice rape her.

Having moved to a quieter spot, the woman said she was again raped and left feeling 'ashamed, humiliated, and in shooting pain'.

The court heard the alleged attack ended when a light came on in a nearby flat and, having told Sura that people were coming, the woman pulled up her trousers and fled.

Police were called and officers recovered a torn condom wrapper and a Fosters can in the alleyway, as well as the used condom from the garage area.

When interviewed by police Sura said he asked the woman for directions to the station.

The prosecutor said when he was shown a photograph of his alleged victim, Sura said 'that could have been her' but he did not know her name.

"But he maintained she led him up an alleyway and initiated sexual contact," Mr Forbes told the court.

"He said she kissed him, he was surprised but kissed her back. He said she then took his hand and placed it inside her trousers."

Sura also claimed they went to a second, quieter location and continued to have sex.

"He maintains though that this was all with her consent and that she had initiated the sexual encounter," added Mr Forbes.