A MAN accused of sexually abusing a young girl over several years has been cleared of half of the charges against him.A jury at Ipswich Crown Court has returned a verdict of not guilty on three counts of indecent assault in the case of 47-year-old Samuel Ross, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich.

A MAN accused of sexually abusing a young girl over several years has been cleared of half of the charges against him.

A jury at Ipswich Crown Court has returned a verdict of not guilty on three counts of indecent assault in the case of 47-year-old Samuel Ross, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich.

They retired overnight last night to consider their verdict on a further three charges of the same offence.

Ross, who has no previous convictions, is alleged to have touched the girl indecently on several occasions when she was aged between around eight and 10 years old.