A DARLINGTON man accused of a string of sex attacks in the 1970s has been found not guilty across all counts by a jury.

Raymond Anthony Tunstall Jr, 59, has been cleared of all claims against him following a week-long trial in Teesside Crown Court.

A woman claimed she had been sexually assaulted by Mr Tunstall Jr, of the Hopetown area of Darlington, when she was a child and he was a teenager.

The claimant referred to a den in Croft and wooden building where abuse would take place, however Mr Tunstall Jr’s barrister, Rob Lancaster, told the jury his client would not have even known where Croft was at that age.

He also argued the wooden building referred to by the claimant was actually built with glass panels with any indecent acts taking place inside would be clearly visible to anyone nearby.

Retired British Gas fitter Mr Tunstall Jr denied all eight counts of the serious sexual offences from the outset and told the court he was “shocked” and “felt sick” when he heard the allegations.

Witnesses, including Mr Tunstall Jr’s wife, Susan, and an ex-girlfriend from the time of the alleged abuse in 1970s, gave evidence during the trial to state the 59-year-old grandfather was not responsible for any abuse.

Judge Deborah Sherwin directed the jury to consider their verdict on Friday morning. Jurors found Mr Tunstall Jr not guilty across all eight counts on Friday afternoon.