Sex case father cleared

A FATHER OF TWO alleged to have sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl has been cleared by a jury after a four-day trial.

Derek Dissington (57) was unanimously cleared on all four counts by the panel of eight men and four women at Manchester Crown Court. Family members in the public gallery wept as the not-guilty verdicts were read out, and a clearly emotional Mr Dissington thanked jurors.

Judge Angela Nield told him he could leave the court without a stain on his character.

The former taxi driver was alleged to have carried out the assaults on the youngster two years ago.

The court had been told the girl had been afraid to speak out at first, but then told her mother of what had happened.

Giving evidence in court, Mr Dissington of Goodwood Road, Oldham, had repeatedly given emphatic “No” responses to all suggestions that he was guilty. He agreed the girl had nothing to gain by making the allegations against him, but told the court: “It never happened. I would never do that to anybody.”