A MAN has wept after being cleared of Lake District child sex abuse allegations which he strenuously denied.

Richard William Philpotts, 63, went on trial at Carlisle Crown Court having pleaded not guilty to four charges - all relating to the same male complainant.

These alleged an indecent assault, indecency, a further sexual offence and an attempted sex crime.

But this afternoon, having heard all evidence in the case, a jury of nine men and three women found Mr Philpotts not guilty of all charges.

These arose out of alleged incidents in the Windermere area, during the early 1990s, while he was on a camping trip with thee boys.

The complainant - then aged in his early teens - said that trip had lasted almost a week.

But in his evidence Mr Philpotts - a former RAF corporal and scoutmaster - insisted the visit lasted only "one night" after he was recalled to work duties as a computer analyst.

He recalled the boys stayed in separate tents.

"Who slept in your tent?" asked his barrister, Barnaby Shaw.

"Me," replied Mr Philpotts.

"Anybody else sleep in your tent?" Mr Shaw asked.

"No," Mr Philpotts replied.

Mr Shaw continued: "Did you assault any of these three boys during the camping trip?"

"No," replied Mr Philpotts, of Gainsborough Road, Stowmarket, Suffolk.

The court had heard that while he was convicted, in 2016, of indecently assaulting another boy in Germany, Mr Philpotts had been acquitted after a court martial hearing of allegations made by the complainant at the centre of Carlisle trial.

After today's jury verdicts were returned, following deliberations of more than six hours, Recorder Clemitson said: "Mr Philpotts, you may leave the dock."

Mr Philpotts wept as the verdicts were announced, and then hugged his partner, who had sat in the public gallery throughout the hearing.

Turning to jurors, Recorder Clemitson said: "All that remains is got me to thank you for the care and attention you have taken over that trial.
"These cases are not easy. As you will understand and also those of us who work in these courts on a daily basis realise, they have a substantial impact on people's lives."