A MAN facing child sex allegations has been cleared of all charges following a trial which lasted nine days.

The jury in the trial of Peter Lewis James Large, 51, of Bisley Court, Darlington, County Durham, returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on two counts of indecent assault and six of indecency with a child.

Teesside Crown Court had heard how the allegations, which dated back to the early 1980s, arose as a result of complaints made to police by two women who lived near Mr Large as children.

They claimed that over a period between June 1982 and July 1984 he engaged in a number of sex acts with them in exchange for money and cigarettes.

But Mr Large's defence team said the claims had been made up by the women, both now 33, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Defence barrister Nigel Edwards said the pair had hatched a plan to win money from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board after learning the defendant was successfully running his own business inspecting marine structures, such as pipelines and oil rigs.

One of the women had been abused by her stepfather as a child, the trial was told.

Father-of-three Mr Large, a former union rep at the Rothmans cigarette factory, in Darlington, maintained his innocence throughout.

He said he could think of no reason other than financial that the allegations had been made.

He said he was in state of shock after being arrested by police and had never hurt or attacked anyone.