A MAN accused of a catalogue of sex offences against two women was cleared of 16 charges he faced by a jury.

Matthew Tovey, aged 39, of Elm Close, Trevethin, Pontypool was acquitted of three rapes, 11 sexual assaults and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

The two charges of sexual activity with a child related to allegations he had attacked one of the complainants when she was 15.

The jury was unable to reach decisions on seven sexual assault charges relating to another complainant.

A hearing will be heard at Swansea Crown Court on January 30 to determine if he will face a re-trial on those counts.

The defendant had denied all 23 counts against him during a trial at Newport Crown Court which had lasted eight days.

While giving evidence, Mr Tovey told the jury of six men and six women how he broke down and cried when he was first challenged over the allegations.

The court had heard earlier in the trial from a witness, who was not a complainant, that she had challenged him after she heard of the accusations against him.

When he was asked by his barrister Marian Lewis to tell the jury about that encounter, which happened over the telephone, he replied: “I was upset, I was crying. I said, ‘I’m sorry, I’m going to jump off a quarry.’”

His lawyer asked him if that last statement was an admission of guilt.

Mr Tovey replied that it was not and that it was made because of his “panicked state of mind”.

He added: “I felt sick. I phoned my parents crying. I said to them, ‘Help me, help me.’”

Prosecutor Claire Pickthall had put it to Mr Tovey that the past “has caught up with you”.

The defendant replied that he did not sexually assault any of the complainants.

The trial judge was Judge Patrick Curran QC.