Norwich landlord Kevin Tweedy has been convicted of rape

Kevin Tweedy, who used to run The Artichoke in Magdalen Road was also found guilty of sexual assault by the jury at King's Lynn Crown Court.

Sentencing was adjourned until October 11 by Recorder Rouse KC, who has presided over the trial.

Tweedy, 66, who still lives at the pub, was bailed until that date, after being warned by the judge he faces jail.

Tweedy has been on trial since Monday, August 19, after he denied raping the woman on the night of July 20, 2015 at an earlier hearing. 

He also denied sexually assaulting the woman between January 1, 2013, and March 31 of the same year.

Kevin Tweedy ran The Artichoke pub in Norwich (Image: Sonya Duncan)

At the opening of the trial, prosecutor Matthew Sorel-Cameron said the assault happened after Tweedy invited the woman to his home  after they had been drinking.

He said he lunged at the woman while they were sitting on the sofa, pinned her down and tried to kiss her.

Mr Sorel-Cameron said Tweedy raped the woman on the night of July 20, 2015 after he had been drinking.

He said she made it clear she did not want to have sex but he continued.

But under cross examination by Stephen Rose, for Tweedy, the woman who made the allegation was asked about text messages exchanged by the pair around the time of the claimed assault which painted a different picture.

Mr Rose said if there was a sexual assault, there was no reference to it in the messages.

Mr Rose asked the woman why she had not gone to a place of safety after the alleged rape took place in 2015.

"You did not do this because it never happened, did it," he added.

The jury of 10 men and two women was sent home over the Bank Holiday weekend after failing to reach a unanimous verdict on Friday.

After further deliberations on Tuesday morning, the judge told jurors he would be willing to accept a majority verdict on which at least 10 of their number agreed.

They returned shortly afterwards to deliver guilty verdicts on both counts.

Shortly after the verdict, the pub announced it would be closed for the foreseeable future.

A post shared on social media read: "The pub will be closed until further notice.

"There will be no quiz night tonight.

"We will post further updates as soon as we are able to."