Former Essex cricketer Robin Das, 24, is accused of raping a woman twice in Brixton in March 2024. A five-day trial has been listed for January 2028 at Inner London Crown Court.
A cricketer who played for Essex has appeared in court accused of carrying out two rapes in Brixton. Robin Das, 24, is alleged to have attacked a woman twice in south London in March 2024.
The former county player appeared in the dock at Inner London Crown Court on Friday, October 9, where a judge set a date for his trial. Wearing a navy suit, white shirt and dark tie, Das spoke only to confirm his identity and that he understood when he would next have to attend court.
Trial set for January 2028
Judge Freya Newbery listed a five-day trial to begin on January 10, 2028. Addressing the short hearing, she warned that the criminal courts were struggling to keep pace with the volume of new cases coming through the system.
“I’m afraid we are all just really under the cosh at the moment,” she said. “We are overwhelmed with new cases, and we can’t fit our custody cases within the time limits.”
The remarks underline the pressure facing courts across England and Wales, where judges have repeatedly raised concerns about the growing backlog of cases and the length of time complainants and defendants are waiting for trials to be heard.
Inner London Crown Court, which sits in the Elephant and Castle area of the capital, deals with serious criminal cases from across inner London. The most serious offences are tried before a judge and jury.
The October 9 appearance was a brief administrative hearing at which the court fixed the timetable for the case. Such hearings are a routine part of the Crown Court process, allowing judges to manage the progress of cases towards trial.
Das has been released on conditional bail and will remain subject to bail conditions until his trial begins. Conditional bail can include measures such as reporting requirements or restrictions on a defendant’s movements, and a court can vary bail or remand a defendant in custody if conditions are breached.
Essex confirm playing contract ended
Essex County Cricket Club confirmed that Das’s playing contract came to an end before the conclusion of the 2026 season, following his suspension and his unavailability to fulfil his playing obligations.
The club stressed that the decision was “separate from the ongoing legal proceedings”.
Essex said it had safeguarding and disciplinary procedures in place and would continue to work with the England and Wales Cricket Board, the Professional Cricketers’ Association and the Cricket Regulator.
The Cricket Regulator is the body responsible for overseeing integrity and safeguarding matters within the professional game, working alongside the ECB and the players’ union.
How the case reached the Crown Court
Allegations of the most serious sexual offences are investigated by specialist officers within the Metropolitan Police before a file is passed to the Crown Prosecution Service, which decides whether there is sufficient evidence to bring a charge and whether a prosecution is in the public interest. Where a defendant is charged with rape, the case is sent from the magistrates’ court to the Crown Court, where it is tried before a judge and jury.
Before trial, the court holds case management hearings to agree the timetable, the witnesses to be called and any legal issues that need to be resolved in advance. The October 9 appearance was one such administrative hearing, at which the judge fixed the trial window and confirmed the defendant’s bail.
Defendants in Crown Court cases are entitled to legal representation. Trials of this length typically involve opening statements, evidence from witnesses, cross-examination and a summing-up by the judge before the jury retires to consider its verdicts.
What happens next
The case will return to Inner London Crown Court in January 2028, when a jury is expected to hear the evidence over five days. Das will next appear before the court when his trial opens.
As with all criminal cases, the defendant is entitled to a fair trial, and nothing must be published that could prejudice the proceedings. The allegations against Das remain unproven unless and until a jury reaches its verdicts.
Anyone affected by the issues raised in this article can contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline, Samaritans or Victim Support for confidential advice. The Metropolitan Police encourage anyone who has experienced a sexual offence to report it, whether or not they wish to pursue a formal complaint.
The Metropolitan Police are separately investigating a reported attack in a Brixton churchyard, after a woman in her 40s reported an early-hours incident to officers.
In another case, the force has charged former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood with two further offences as part of an ongoing investigation.
