Man cleared of molesting disabled woman

Lee Wright (46), of Pike Road in Brinsworth, faced one count of sexual assault at Sheffield Crown Court last week, but was acquitted on Friday.

His accuser, a woman in her forties who cannot be named for legal reasons, has mild physical and learning difficulties.

She told police that Wright had pinned her to his sofa last March 18, before groping her inside her underwear.

She had gone up to his flat with a friend on Wright's invitation, she said, before her friend left to buy a take-away.

The woman said Wright then attacked her while also groping himself.

But Wright maintained that it was the woman who took his hand and put it down her trousers.

He alleged that she and her friend had invited themselves up to his flat for drinks.

She had come to him after her friend went to the chip shop, saying her hands were cold, he claimed.

She then took his hand in hers before putting it inside her clothes, he alleged, telling him not to tell her friend.

Wright did not tell police this when interviewed, simply denying that he had attacked the claimant.

But he changed his account one week before the trial, explaining that he had been "embarssed" to mention it earlier.

A jury took around three hours to reach a unanimous not guilty verdict on Friday.