A MAN has been cleared of 12 counts of alleged child sexual abuse after he was found not guilty by a jury.

Clint Roberts, 49, of Hereford Street, Newport, was acquitted of all charges, which included indecent assault and gross indecency with a child, following a trial.

Prosecutor Clare Wilks claimed two women were sexually abused when they were young girls during the early 1990s.

But Mr Roberts, who was defended by Claire Pickthall, denied all the allegations against him and told Newport Crown Court the complainants were lying.

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It took the jury 58 minutes to acquit him on all counts.

While giving evidence in his defence, Mr Roberts said he had been working as a cladder and roofer and raising his young children with his partner at the time of the allegations.

He told the court that he was rarely at his mother’s house, where the assaults were alleged to have taken place, during the period because of how busy he was.

Mr Roberts denied knowing the two women who have made the claims against him, although he did admit that he had seen them at his mother’s house once.

The defendant said he only realised this meeting when he was discussing the allegations with his relatives and said he didn’t know who they were, and his memory was jogged by the conversation.

The jury heard Mr Roberts is an alcoholic and has been for around 20 years.

He also spoke about a chance meeting that happened between him and one of the complainants at a pub.

Mr Roberts told the court: “I was sat alone in the garden and saw a man I knew so went over and asked if I could join them.”

He added that one complainant who was there didn’t say anything to him and he did not recognise her.

Mr Roberts said: “Her boyfriend asked me what my name was, and I said ‘Clint. Why’? and then she spoke and asked if I had a sister.

“I said yes, I had two and said their names. I did not know who she was when I sat down.”

The court was also told about some previous convictions that he had in 1988, 1989 and 1991 for vehicle theft, theft from a vehicle, driving without insurance, driving whilst disqualified, a minor traffic offence, assault and criminal damage.

Mr Roberts was asked how he pled to those charges, to which he responded: “I pleaded guilty because I was guilty.”

He was then asked why he pleaded not guilty to the offences he was on trial for.

The defendant responded: “I am not guilty at all of these offences.”

After he was cleared, Judge Daniel Williams told him in the dock: “Mr Roberts. You are free to go.”

Turning to the jury, the judge said to them: “Thank you for the obvious care and attention you gave this case.”