Man cleared of sex abuse of boys in 1980s

A jury took just an hour today to acquit a 47-year-old man of sexually assaulting a schoolboy in Auckland over 20 years ago.

The man, a company director with interim name suppression, had been charged with indecently assaulting the boy, committing an indecent act, and sodomy between January 1983 and March 1984 in Auckland.

After two days of evidence at the High Court in Wellington, the jury today retired to consider their verdict and returned just an hour later, saying the man was not guilty on all three counts.

The jury was so speedy that one of the Crown prosecutors could not make it back to the court in time to hear the verdict.

Sounds of relief came from the man's supporters and when Justice Alan MacKenzie told him he was free to go, he left the dock quickly with tears in his eyes to join them.

- NZPA