A 77-year-old Essex man broke down in tears in court today (Friday) after a jury unanimously cleared him of sexually assaulting a schoolgirl.

Before Ipswich Crown Court was Peter Miller, of Munnings Drive, Clacton-on-Sea.

He pleaded not guilty to two offences of indecently assaulting the alleged victim by kissing her on the mouth and eight offences of sexual assault. The earliest offence dated back to 2002.

A jury took two hours to find him not guilty of all ten offences following a trial which started earlier this week.

Following the unanimous verdicts Miller sobbed in the dock and thanked the jury.

Giving evidence during the trial Miller said that when he was confronted with the allegations he had “been in shock for a long while”.

He told the court he had been happily married for 53 years and was devastated by the allegations that had been made against him.