A FORMER deputy headteacher who faced allegations of indecent assault on a child has been discharged from court.After a lengthy legal argument yesterday, Judge John Holt ruled it was unfair to proceed with the trial of Bryan Nelson, 71, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich.

A FORMER deputy headteacher who faced allegations of indecent assault on a child has been discharged from court.

After a lengthy legal argument yesterday, Judge John Holt ruled it was unfair to proceed with the trial of Bryan Nelson, 71, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich.

Judge Holt, sitting at Bury St Edmunds Crown Court, said any trial would be unfair and agreed to an application by Mr Nelson's barrister Chester Beyts to have the case "stayed".

He said the trial would be unfair for a variety of reasons, including a complex case in which Mr Nelson claimed his alleged victim had been demanding money.

Judge Holt said he was also concerned by the length of time the allegations had taken to come to light and the "increasingly frail" state of the defendant.

He added: "I'm satisfied that Mr Nelson cannot have a fair trial and I'm satisfied that the court should allow the application and stay this trial. The defendant is discharged."

Mr Nelson, who was the former deputy headteacher of Chantry High School in Ipswich, had been accused of indecent assault on a boy between February 1, 1983, and February 28, 1987, and buggery on the same boy between February 20, 1984, and January 1, 1985.