A MAN was cleared of sexual abuse accusations dating back to the early 1980s at Reading Crown Court today.

Stephen Lynes stood accused of indecently assaulting a seven-year-old girl at a house in Tilehurst more than three decades ago.

The 55-year-old was said to have lured the young girl into a bed before groping her to “make her feel better” after she had an ear ache.

At the end of a four day trial however, a jury of five men and seven women cleared Mr Lynes of all wrongdoing. 

Crying intermittently as she stood in the dock, the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told jurors: “Why would I go through all of this and have to tell people what happened to me?

“Why would I just make it up? I wouldn’t do that.”

Lynes was arrested by police on August 5, 2015 after the woman made a complaint, sparking an official investigation.

The case was thrown out when the jury rejected the evidence from the prosecution.

At the end of proceedings Claire Davis, defending Mr Lynes, convinced the jury her client was innocent.

Speaking to the complainant she said: “I am going to suggest that this didn’t happen. He never touched you at all.

“I am going to suggest that the incident in that bedroom never happened.”

Stephen Lynes, of Clyde Gardens, Bath, was cleared of two counts of indecent assault in a trial in front of Judge Ian Grainger.