A former police officer who was accused of a string of child sex offences has been found not guilty of all charges.
George Thomson-Smith, 89, from York, denied all 12 allegations made by three young girls.
A jury at Newcastle Crown Court acquitted him of all charges yesterday (Thursday) following a trial which lasted nearly three weeks.
Mr Thomson-Smith, a churchgoer who served in the Metropolitan Police, was accused of sexually abusing the girls between March 2002 and July 2009 when he was in his 60s and early 70s.
The charges included 10 counts of sexual or indecent assault and two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Defence barrister Tania Griffths KC told the jury that Mr Thomson-Smith and his wife – formerly of Askham Bryan and now of now of Hallcroft Lane, Copmanthorpe – were “what sometimes are termed as do-gooders in the community, reaching out to help people in need”.
In interviews with police before he was charged, Mr Thomson-Smith described the allegations as “outrageous”.
