A MAN aged 52 has been cleared by a jury of raping and sexually abusing a young girl almost 35 years ago when he himself was a teenager.

James Williams wept with relief in the dock at Bradford Crown Court this afternoon when he was unanimously found not guilty of all four charges against him.

He was accused by the complainant, now in her early forties, of abusing her in Bradford when she was aged eight or nine.

Williams, of Haugh Shaw Road, Halifax, denied one allegation of rape, one count of indecency with a child and two offences of indecent assault, all dating back to between 1981 and 1983.

He insisted that no abuse took place.