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Coronation Street's Le Vell cleared of child rape | Coronation Street's Le Vell cleared of child rape |
(35 minutes later) | |
Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has been cleared of a number of sex abuse charges, including rape. | |
Mr Le Vell, 48, of Hale, Greater Manchester, had denied 12 charges in total, telling the jury he was "fighting for his life". | |
His accuser, who cannot be named, claimed she was abused from the age of six until she was 14. | His accuser, who cannot be named, claimed she was abused from the age of six until she was 14. |
Speaking outside court, he thanked his family and ITV for their support. He is now expected to return to the soap. | |
'Two years of hell' | |
Mr Le Vell, who has played garage mechanic Kevin Webster for 30 years, was tried at Manchester Crown Court under his real name Michael Turner. | |
The jury of eight women and four men took just over four hours to return verdicts of not guilty on all counts. | |
The actor had also faced charges of indecent assault, sexual activity with a child and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. | The actor had also faced charges of indecent assault, sexual activity with a child and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. |
As the verdicts were read out, Mr Le Vell nodded to the jury and mouthed "thank you" as relatives in court sobbed. | As the verdicts were read out, Mr Le Vell nodded to the jury and mouthed "thank you" as relatives in court sobbed. |
As he left the court he said he was "delighted" and that the result was "a weight off everyone's shoulders". | As he left the court he said he was "delighted" and that the result was "a weight off everyone's shoulders". |
Mr Le Vell's friend and former Coronation Street star Nigel Pivaro, who played Terry Duckworth, said: "He has suffered two years of hell and, probably due to his high profile, far more than most. | |
"Now the jury has spoken, he can pick up his career and his life." | |
Mr Le Vell is now expected to return to the soap. | |
An ITV spokesman said: "We are looking forward to meeting with Michael to discuss his return to the programme." | An ITV spokesman said: "We are looking forward to meeting with Michael to discuss his return to the programme." |
His accuser, now aged 17, had told the court he had raped her while putting a teddy bear over her mouth to keep her quiet. | His accuser, now aged 17, had told the court he had raped her while putting a teddy bear over her mouth to keep her quiet. |
She alleged that he had told her he was "just getting rid of all the evil and bad inside me". | She alleged that he had told her he was "just getting rid of all the evil and bad inside me". |
But Alisdair Williamson, for the defence, said her evidence was "inconsistent" and "unbelievable" with an "agonising lack of detail". | But Alisdair Williamson, for the defence, said her evidence was "inconsistent" and "unbelievable" with an "agonising lack of detail". |
'Dark secret' | |
During the trial Mr Le Vell admitted he was an alcoholic who had a series of one-night stands throughout his 25-year marriage. | |
Mr Williamson told the jury that while Mr Le Vell might be described as a "weak, stupid and drunk man" and a "bad husband", he was not a child rapist. | |
He was initially arrested on 30 September, 2011, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to proceed with the case. | |
However, after a review of the evidence following fresh allegations by the girl, Mr Le Vell was re-arrested and charged in February 2013. | |
During the trial he told the court: "I'm like a lost soul and I still want to get to the bottom of why this has happened to me and why I'm being accused of this because I know none of this happened. | |
"Never in a million years would I do anything like that." | |
Mr Le Vell first joined Coronation Street in 1983 and his character Kevin Webster proved popular with fans throughout his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor. | |
He did not appear in any episodes of the soap during the legal proceedings. |