Man cleared of sexually assaulting 6 year old in Derry

A 42-year-old man has been found not guilty by a jury in Derry of  a series of sex offences against a girl including rape which were alleged to have begun when the girl was aged six.
The man had been on trial in Derry Crown Court since last Thursday facing a total of 18 charges dating from 1995 through to 2004.
Today the jury of five women and seven men after deliberating for more than four hours returned majority not guilty verdicts on all charges.
When the verdict was read out the woman who had made the allegations left the court room in tears.
Friends and relations of the accused also wept.
The man was released.