Michael Le Vell

Michael Le Vell

Michael Le Vell has been cleared of 12 charges relating to sexual abuse of a minor.

The 'Coronation Street' star had denied five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child, and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity - and a jury today (10.09.13) found him not guilty of all the charges.

Jurors delivered the verdict on the 48-year-old actor - who was on trial under his real name of Michael Turner - on the seventh day of the trial at Manchester Crown Court as they entered their second day of deliberations.

During the trial, Michael - who plays mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap - was asked by his barrister, Alisdair Williamson, defending, if he had committed any of the crimes of which he was accused.

He told the jury: "No, I promise you, never in a million years would I do anything like that, never."

Michael's victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was not in the court room to hear the verdict.

She had previously alleged the actor raped her as she held a teddy bear.

Michael was initially arrested in 2011, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to proceed with the case.

However, after a review of evidence he was re-arrested and charged in February this year.

Eleanor Laws QC was first to speak for the prosecution and she told the jury what Michael had told the police, saying: "He denied each of the allegations she had made and said she was seriously deluded and that she was telling a pack of absolute lies, he was shocked and stunned by the allegations and didn't know why she was saying it."


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