A YOUNG Workington man who had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old schoolgirl has been cleared of raping her.

It took a Carlisle Crown Court jury two hours to return unanimous not guilty verdicts on the 19-year-old, who was also accused of attempting to rape the same girl.

The defendant, who can not be named for legal reasons, has previously admitted eight counts of sexual activity with a child, the same girl.

He will be sentenced on April 24 after background reports have been prepared.

During the defendant's four day trial, the jury heard how he had started a sexual relationship with the girl after meeting her via Facebook.

Despite his ultimate admission of having engaged in sexual activity with the girl, the 19-year-old claimed he believed she was aged 16 or 17.

They met in the bedroom of the home in Workington where he lives with his parents, he said.

In a prepared statement, he told police: “I never forced myself on to her, grabbed her, or pinned her down as alleged.

"I have never demanded sex.”

The girl said she had stayed with him because he had threatened to kill himself if she left him.

The agreed evidence put before the court included that there had been some 990 texts between the defendant and the girl during their relationship.

As he adjourned the case for sentencing, Recorder Richard Archer granted the defendant bail.

The conditions of that bail include a stipulation that the defendant should have no unsupervised contact with any child.

Nor must he have any contact with the girl or two other named prosecution witnesses.

The defendant must also observe a so-called doorstep curfew, and be indoors between 7pm and 7am each day.

During the trial, prosecutor Tim Evans summarised the findings of a consultant forensic psychiatrist who examined the defendant: the doctor concluded that the defendant presented as a vulnerable individual, who had limited intellect.