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| Ex-slaughterman Keith Stokes cleared of historical sex abuse | Ex-slaughterman Keith Stokes cleared of historical sex abuse |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A former slaughterhouse manager has been cleared of child abuse in Wrexham in the 1980s. | A former slaughterhouse manager has been cleared of child abuse in Wrexham in the 1980s. |
| Keith Stokes, 62, from Farndon, Chester, was the final defendant to be dealt with in a trial of seven men at Mold Crown Court which began in April. | Keith Stokes, 62, from Farndon, Chester, was the final defendant to be dealt with in a trial of seven men at Mold Crown Court which began in April. |
| Five men have been convicted of historical abuse and a sixth has been cleared. Jurors heard boys were passed around by "predatory" paedophiles. | Five men have been convicted of historical abuse and a sixth has been cleared. Jurors heard boys were passed around by "predatory" paedophiles. |
| The guilty men will be sentenced in September. | The guilty men will be sentenced in September. |
| They were arrested as part of the Operation Pallial investigation into historical abuse across north Wales. | They were arrested as part of the Operation Pallial investigation into historical abuse across north Wales. |
| Mr Stokes was cleared on the 10th day of the jury's deliberations. | Mr Stokes was cleared on the 10th day of the jury's deliberations. |
| Verdicts | Verdicts |
| The court heard victims were assaulted at sex parties at the home of Gary Cooke, 64, who was convicted of a string of offences. | The court heard victims were assaulted at sex parties at the home of Gary Cooke, 64, who was convicted of a string of offences. |
| One victim, now in his 40s, told the trial how he was "pimped out" by Cooke after being introduced to him through another boy. | One victim, now in his 40s, told the trial how he was "pimped out" by Cooke after being introduced to him through another boy. |
| The man said he was given alcohol by Cooke and shown adult films before being sexually assaulted. | The man said he was given alcohol by Cooke and shown adult films before being sexually assaulted. |
| "I was passed around different people," he said. | "I was passed around different people," he said. |
| Operation Pallial | |
| More arrests and court cases are expected in the Operation Pallial investigation into historical sex abuse in north Wales, the boss of the National Crime Agency has said. | |
| Keith Bristow said: "We've been contacted by over 300 people and have very many live investigations at the moment, and you're starting to see people appearing in court and standing trial." | |
| Mr Bristow has been speaking to BBC Wales for a special programme, Child Abuse - The Search for the Truth, on BBC Two Wales on Thursday at 22:00 BST. |