A MAN accused of repeatedly raping and sexually abusing a child has been cleared of all charges.

The alleged victim - who cannot be named for legal reasons - had claimed she was sexually abused numerous times over a period of nearly ten years in the city.

After a trial at Oxford Crown Court jurors took two hours and 41 minutes to find Restito Quiatchon not guilty by a unanimous verdict today.

The 57-year-old of Spenlove Close, Abingdon, had always denied the four counts of rape, three sexual assaults, one count of assault of a child by penetration and one of sexual activity with a child.

READ AGAIN: The accused gives his account from the witness box.

The offences were all alleged to have taken place in Oxford over nearly a decade, beginning in the mid-2000s, and involved one child.

From the witness box this week Mr Quiatchon denied any wrong-doing and told jurors he was disabled at the time of the allegations.

He told jurors that he had kissed the woman once 'on the cheek' and he went on to deny touching her inappropriately or finding the girl sexually attractive.

Mr Quiatchon was asked if he had treated the woman 'as your girlfriend', to which he replied: "No that is not true."

After the not guilty verdicts presiding Judge Peter Ross thanked the jury for their 'care and attention' in trying the case and Mr Quiatchon was discharged from the dock.