A RESPECTED headmaster cried with relief when a jury acquitted him of indecently assaulting a pupil at the start of his career.

Paul Sheppard, 52, was alleged to have committed the offence at Ampleforth College against a ten-year-old boy in the late eighties.

He spent a term at the prestigious Ryedale boarding school as part of his teacher training course in his native Canada, York Crown Court heard.

The jury of ten men and two women took an hour and 40 minutes to acquit him of indecent assault on Friday.

Dr Sheppard, who was arrested at Heathrow Airport last December when he arrived in the UK for a month-long trip to visit relatives for Christmas, denied the charge. A second charge of a similar offence against the same ten-year-old boy was thrown out by the judge at the end of the prosecution.

Dr Sheppard spent a month in prison on remand before being granted bail.

Since leaving Ampleforth College, Dr Sheppard has taught at other schools across the world, including a boarding school in Alberta, Canada, where he rose to be headmaster in 2000.

Several former pupils, parents of pupils and work colleagues gave character references during the trial praising his abilities as a teacher and his personal attributes including his integrity.

The jury heard allegations that he spanked the ten-year-old boy on his bare bottom as punishment for misbehaviour.

Dr Sheppard told the jury he could not remember punishing the boy. He said it was possible he could have given him corporal punishment but he would never have removed the boy's trousers or pants.