Coronation Street star Bill Roache has been found not guilty of two counts of rape and four counts of indecent assault by a jury at Preston Crown Court in the UK.
The actor, who pays Ken Barlow in the popular soap, was on trial for seven incidents which were allegedly to have taken place between 1965 and 1971 and involved five women who were aged 16 and under.
During the trial Roache maintained that he was innocent and denied the charges.
“In these situations there are no winners, and I think we should all be much kinder to ourselves,” the actor said in a statement following the verdict.
Roache, 81, was cleared of one of the seven abuse charges last week.
Judge Mr Justice Holroyde told the jury at the time: “In relation to that episode, the witness was not giving evidence that it did happen, she was giving evidence that she was thinking it did happen and that is not a sufficient evidential basis for the conviction of an offence.”
“Mr Roache is entitled to a not guilty verdict on that charge.”
More details to follow.
Roache as Ken Barlow in Coronation Street
