A STUDENT collapsed in tears and let out a huge sigh of relief as he was acquitted of raping a woman he met in a nightclub.

Jurors unanimously acquitted Changqing Shao of raping the woman after just 43 minutes deliberating at Oxford Crown Court today.

The 21-year-old, who declared he had consensual sex with the woman during his trial, sobbed in the dock as he heard his fate, falling into the arms of a loved one in the public gallery soon after.

Bowing towards teary-eyed jurors as he left the courtroom, Shao proclaimed 'thank you'.

During his trial, the jury of six men and six women heard Shao met the woman at Hythe Bridge Street club The Bridge.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told officers she woke up in his bed, spotting her cash, lipstick and cloakroom ticket on the floor.

But she claimed she could remember little of her time at the club or leaving with Shao hours before.

Giving evidence in his trial, Shao told the court through a Mandarin interpreter he was certain the woman was consenting to the sexual activity.

Jurors heard the pair danced and kissed at the club before sharing a taxi when they left the venue.

Shao, of Collins Street, Oxford, claimed the woman followed him into his student halls before initiating the sexual contact on October 18 last year.

He later told the court he woke up to discover the woman had already left.