Irish celebrity acquitted of defilement of teenage girl

An Irish celebrity has been acquitted of the defilement of a 16-year-old girl.

The man, in his 40s, had pleaded not guilty to three counts of engaging in sexual acts with a child under the age of 17 in locations around Dublin between August and December 2010.

At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Friday, a jury of nine men and three women found the entertainer not guilty of all three charges.

The counts related to alleged incidents at the accused’s home and work.

They included allegations he had engaged in oral sex with the complainant when she was under the age of 17.

The jury had deliberated on the counts for five-and-a-half hours.

In evidence, the complainant said she had been texting the man after meeting him in July 2010.

She said she had initially told him she was 18, but alleged she had later told him she was 16.

She said she met the accused multiple times and that they had engaged in oral sex and mutual masturbation.

This included an act of oral sex at his place of work.

On another occasion, she alleged she had performed oral sex on him at his home before a Deadmau5 concert in Dublin.

She had alleged the accused had purchased tickets for her.

The accused had denied he had sexual contact with the girl before she was 17.

The man cannot be named for legal reasons.