AFTER a much-delayed trial, a Thurrock man has been cleared of four charges of sexual assault brought against him by a former pupil.

Music teacher Mark Yeldham, 55, from Stanford-le-Hope, was arrested in 2022 and later charged with four historic counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching and two counts of voyeurism.

Two of the charges said he assaulted a girl twice by pulling down her trousers and underwear and two others that he had touched the girl's bottom. The offences were said to have happened while the girl, now 16, was between the ages of eight and 11.

However, during early testimony during which the girl said she was unable to recollect exactly what happened, two lesser charges were added to the accusations. The jury cleared him of the four initial charges but were unable to reach a verdict on the two added accusation – which mean Yeldham may have to face a retrial.

His trial took place at Basildon Crown Court, after initially being scheduled for February, and lasted several days before a decision was reached.

During the interim between arrest and trial, the teacher, who taught at Lee Chapel School in Basildon and at the Basildon Musical Academy, made a court appearance at Southend Magistrates where he was charged with breaching his bail conditions, though he was again released conditionally.

During his trial at Basildon, the court was told Yeldham's alleged offences were reported to the police after the girl's mother sent her, aged 13, to a counsellor, who she told about the alleged incident. The counsellor made the report to police.

Yeldham has consistently denied the accusations and told the court he was 'shellshocked and angry' following his arrest.