Cleared on sex charge

Jury find intercourse-with-schoolgirl charge not proven

A MAN has been cleared of having sex with a schoolgirl under the age of 16.
There was an angry reaction from the girl's father in the public benches, to the jury's unanimous verdict of not proven and he was bundled out of Wick Sheriff Court by police officers.
Stevie Cunningham, 27, had pleaded not guilty on indictment to having intercourse with the girl who was 14 at the time.
The case turned on the accused's understanding to the girl's age. He agreed he had had sex with her at his then home in rural Caithness but told the court that she said she was "16 going on 17" although the girl maintained there had been no prior discussion about her age.
Earlier on February 19, 2015, Cunningham, now of 1A Murray Avenue, Wick volunteered to give her a lift home, but after a conversation in the car, they drove to his home where they had intercourse.
The accused said that he was going to use a condom but the girl said it wasn't necessary as she had a contraceptive implant which she showed him. That was also denied by her in evidence.
The jury took less than an hour to return their verdict.