A Rotorua man accused of sexual offending against two girls has been found not guilty of two charges, with the jury unable to agree on the remaining charges.
After a five-day trial in the Rotorua District Court, the jury deliberated for five hours yesterday and a further two hours this
morning before returning to the courtroom.
The jury foreman told Judge Chris McGuire they had found the 56-year-old accused, who has interim name suppression, not guilty of one count of sexual violation and one count of indecent assault of a child under 12.
It was unable to reach either a unanimous or a majority (11-1) verdict on another sexual violation charge and two charges of indecent assault, one of which was an alternative count.
The offending was alleged to have happened in August 2011 in Rotorua when the two girls were visiting the man and his wife.
