A JURY have found a 44-year-old man not guilty of seven counts of assaulting a child.

Daniel Lewis, of Woodfield, Wantage, was on trial at Oxford Crown Court charged with six counts of wilfully assaulting a child and one count of wilfully ill-treating a child.

Mr Lewis was charged with a second count of wilfully ill-treating a child but this was dropped halfway through the trial.

READ MORE: Scales of Justice: The latest cases from Oxford Magistrates' Court

He was accused of smothering the boy with pillows, pushing him, digging his knuckles into his legs, slapping him, and gripping him around the neck.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described Mr Lewis as ‘manipulative and cruel’.

However, a jury found him not guilty of all counts on Monday (May 20).

Help support trusted local news 

Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe/

As a digital subscriber you will get:      

  • Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website   
  • Advert-light access       
  • Reader rewards       
  • Full access to our app