Scarborough teacher cleared of assaulting pupil
A teacher has been cleared of assaulting a 15-year-old pupil at a North Yorkshire school.
The female pupil, who cannot be named, claimed William Stuart shoved her to the ground and against some coat pegs in March.
Mr Stuart, 47, of Stepney Road, Scarborough, was cleared after a trial at Scarborough Magistrates' Court.
The magistrates said the girl's evidence was inconsistent while Mr Stuart's was "credible and convincing".
There were cheers and celebrations in court when the verdict was read out.
Mr Stuart, who has been a teacher for 23 years, was charged after an incident on 21 March.
The girl involved alleged the teacher was angry and "out of control" after she ignored his requests to stop walking away from him.
Chairman of the bench Paul Osborne said the girl's evidence did not tally with that of two other pupils who gave evidence for the prosecution.
He said: "Mr Stuart's evidence was credible and convincing.
"He has a 23-year unblemished teaching record across several schools."
Mr Stuart said he did not want to comment as he left the court.
Speaking after the hearing, Anne Swift, from the National Union of Teachers, said the strain of the case had had an "enormous impact" on his family.
She added: "It is every teacher's worst nightmare. You could go to work tomorrow and be arrested the next day.
"It's good to see justice has been done and that a teacher, who was only doing their job trying to maintain order and discipline in a school, has been exonerated."