A man has been cleared of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl at a Rhyl flat.

Alan Fawkes was accused of sexually touching the complainant at his former address and that of a relative, but a jury at Mold Crown Court found him not guilty on eight counts of sexual assault.

Prosecuting barrister Elen Owen said the nine-year-old complained to her mother that she was “regularly” sexually touched by Fawkes, who it was said had got into bed with the girl.

The prosecutor said he touched her arms and legs as well as touching her private area over her clothing.

“It is not the most serious sexual assault in the world, but it was a man whom she trusted,” said Ms Owen, who added the allegations came to light after the girl told her mother that she had shared a bath with Fawkes.

The girl’s mother told police she suffered from migraines and when she had an attack Fawkes would help her out by looking after her daughter at his flat.

Fawkes, 57, now of Holystone Close, Blyth, Northumberland pleaded not guilty to eight counts of sexual assault between January 1, 2016 and March 26, 2017.

He told the court he had not touched the girl “in any way whatsoever”.

Defence barrister Matthew Curtis said: “She [the girl] might have been mistaken or she might have been lying or a combination of both.”

He said that the jury needed to be sure that it was intended touching and that the touching was sexual.

They returned not guilty verdicts on all eight counts and Judge David Hale discharged Fawkes from the dock.