Sex charges are dropped

10:50am Wednesday 23rd July 2008

Sex charges against a young Merseyside man have been dropped.

Michael Clinton was due to face trial accused of two offences of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Hoylake on November 30 last year, which he denied.

A judge at Liverpool Crown Court heard that the prosecution had decided not to proceed with the allegations.

Simon Christie, prosecuting, said that the girl had apparently been drunk that night and it had also been found that she had made allegations of rape in 2005, which were not proceeded with.

She had also made allegations of abuse involving a family member which she later refused to continue with and earlier this year made another allegation, he said.

He also pointed out that 24-year-old Clinton, of Smithdown Road, Wavertree, is currently serving two- and-a-half years for drugs offences.

Judge David Aubrey said that there were many unanswered questions and he agreed with the prosecution that it was not in the public interest to continue with the prosecution and ordered that the charges lie on the file.