Michael Le Vell "delighted" at being cleared of child sex offences

Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell has said he is "delighted" and it is a "big weight off everyone's shoulders" after he was cleared of child sex abuse charges. The actor, 48, had maintained his innocence throughout and was acquitted of 12 child sex offences.

He heard the foreman of the jury deliver the not guilty verdicts to a hushed and packed courtroom at the end of an eight-day trial at Manchester Crown Court.

His accuser, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was not in court to hear the verdicts.

After walking free from court, Le Vell thanked ITV for their "continued support throughout this traumatic time for all of us".

Commenting after the verdicts, a spokeswoman for Coronation Street said: "We are looking forward to meeting with Michael to discuss his return to the programme." Report by Ashley Fudge.

Subscribe to ITN News! http://bit.ly/itnytsub

Like us on Facebook:   / itn  
Follow us on Twitter:   / itn  
Visit our homepage: http://itn.co.uk

More stories from ITN:
Drink driver makes emotional video confession: http://bit.ly/14Im5TP
Tokyo wins bid to host 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games: http://bit.ly/17QNNQE
Three-year-old snooker prodigy wows fans: http://bit.ly/14qs1Gc
Dramatic phone call with Spanish train driver involved in deadly crash: http://bit.ly/17Kkjne
Anthony Weiner fights with heckler in New York bakery: http://bit.ly/17d1pGT
More than 100 vehicles pile-up in massive UK car crash: http://bit.ly/1ehKkPS
Why was Foreign Secretary William Hague at the GQ Awards?: http://bit.ly/13dAJ7V
CCTV: Shocking moment man deliberately pushes trolley in front of train: http://bit.ly/17yXapG
Ariel Castro found dead in Ohio prison cell: http://bit.ly/19hLUgO
Police horses escape and stampede down Mexico City streets: http://bit.ly/17sOWeG
Dennis Rodman returns to North Korea to see 'friend' Kim Jong-un: http://bit.ly/1dLG9Oz
CRAZY COLLECTION. Man owns 6,000 Barbie dolls: http://bit.ly/17nEfu3
NARROW ESCAPE. Giant boulder nearly crushes car: http://bit.ly/17wh0BU
Gareth Bale becomes world's most expensive footballer: http://bit.ly/15ykHlQ
Veteran broadcaster Sir David Frost dies from a heart attack: http://bit.ly/14S1uQq
President Obama to ask Congress to approve military action in Syria: http://bit.ly/14cG2Y3
Buildings swept away in giant China landslide: http://bit.ly/146d2B5
Syria conflict explained: What caused the crisis in Syria?: http://bit.ly/15lWKOD
Six-year-old boy's eyes gauged out in horrific attack: http://bit.ly/19Z1JgW
Wow! Is this the best pool dunk of all time?: http://bit.ly/14CXMKm
Sinkhole swallows trees whole in Louisiana swamp: http://bit.ly/19WL9ht
Snipers shoot at UN convoy at site of Syrian chemical attack: http://bit.ly/15fn4di
Hosni Mubarak appears in court days after release: http://bit.ly/1dL5buy

Check out Truthloader, the new home of citizen journalism on YouTube. Subscribe now at http://bit.ly/tldrsub

See 2013's Most Watched Videos: http://bit.ly/14iM9r5

See our Top 20 Most Watched Videos: http://bit.ly/11GI36D

See 2012's Most Watched Videos: http://bit.ly/18R1boW