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| Musician Francis McPeake is acquitted of sex offences | Musician Francis McPeake is acquitted of sex offences |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Traditional Irish musician Francis McPeake has been cleared of all 12 charges of sexually abusing a girl. | Traditional Irish musician Francis McPeake has been cleared of all 12 charges of sexually abusing a girl. |
| The 72-year-old had denied the charges allegedly involving a 15 year old. | The 72-year-old had denied the charges allegedly involving a 15 year old. |
| Mr McPeake from Eliza Street Close, Belfast, was acquitted at Belfast Crown Court on Monday. | Mr McPeake from Eliza Street Close, Belfast, was acquitted at Belfast Crown Court on Monday. |
| He looked up and breathed sighs of relief as the foreman of the jury delivered unanimous verdicts of "not guilty" on each count. | |
| The woman whom he had been accused of abusing, wept in the public gallery. | |
| She is now 20 years old and she had claimed she was involved in a sexual relationship with Mr McPeake when she was a 15-year-old schoolgirl. | She is now 20 years old and she had claimed she was involved in a sexual relationship with Mr McPeake when she was a 15-year-old schoolgirl. |
| She left the court before all 12 verdicts were returned. | She left the court before all 12 verdicts were returned. |
| Mr McPeake thanked the jury as he left the dock. | Mr McPeake thanked the jury as he left the dock. |
| In the trial, that lasted more than two weeks, the jury of six men and six women heard evidence from the woman involved, her friends and several family members. | In the trial, that lasted more than two weeks, the jury of six men and six women heard evidence from the woman involved, her friends and several family members. |
| The woman claimed she and the pensioner first became intimate during a cross-border music trip in 2009, and that when they returned to Belfast, their relationship became sexual. | The woman claimed she and the pensioner first became intimate during a cross-border music trip in 2009, and that when they returned to Belfast, their relationship became sexual. |
| The jury also heard evidence from Mr McPeake, who told them that all the allegations against him were untrue. | The jury also heard evidence from Mr McPeake, who told them that all the allegations against him were untrue. |
| He said that at the time, he was offering support and guidance to a troubled teenager who was going through personal problems - maintaining that nothing sexual or intimate ever occurred between them. | He said that at the time, he was offering support and guidance to a troubled teenager who was going through personal problems - maintaining that nothing sexual or intimate ever occurred between them. |
| Mr McPeake did not comment as he left Laganside Courts. | Mr McPeake did not comment as he left Laganside Courts. |