A man has been officially cleared of 14 child sex allegations.

Philip Burns, 32, went on trial at Carlisle Crown Court earlier this month having denied a total of 20 charges.

Nineteen of those related to sex offences involving youngsters in Carlisle over a five year period.

Burns also denied a 20th count of assaulting a child, causing actual bodily harm.

After a trial lasting several weeks, jurors retired to consider their verdicts on Monday.

Today, after more than 17 hours of deliberations, Burns was found not guilty of 14 of the alleged child sex crimes, relating to three children.

He was convicted, unanimously, of the actual bodily harm assault charge.

This was said to reflect an "unspecified number of occasions", in which the child received bruising, marks to the neck and a bump to the head.

The jury was unable to reach verdicts - on which at least 10 members were agreed - on the remaining five charges. These included two rape allegations.

The court heard a decision would be taken within seven days about whether a retrial would take place.

Jurors were discharged by Judge Peter Hughes QC, who told the six men and five women: "I know this has been an enormously difficult and challenging case for you."

He added: "You have spent a long time in deliberations, considering the evidence.

"It is very important these decisions should be not made simply by judges or anybody who is in a position of authority, but should be made by the general public serving as a jury."

All 11 jury members were told they would be exempt from any further jury service for the next 10 years.

Burns, of High Street, Annan, must wait to be sentenced for the assault.

In relation to that his lawyer, Phillip Boyd, said: "There has been very little evidence of any physical harm (to the child)."

The case was adjourned by Judge Hughes until September 11. In the meantime Burns was remanded in custody.