A former Chelsea children's football coach from Lenham has been cleared of repeatedly raping a 12-year-old girl.

Shane Hughes, 31, was accused of attacking the schoolgirl in a physiotherapy room at the Premier League club’s training HQ over a four month period.

At the trial, which began at Kingston Crown Court last week, a jury heard the child was at the centre, near Cobham in Surrey, to get treatment for a knee injury when the alleged abuse took place.

But today Hughes, who lives off Lenham Heath Road, was found not guilty of all four rape charges.

The police investigation began after one of the girl’s teachers allegedly spotted naked photos of him on her phone, at which point the police were called and he was arrested.

He got a caution for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The girl later told officers he had raped her.

John Livingston, prosecuting, said the first attack came after Hughes ordered the girl to strip and get on the massage table.

He was accused of raping her and making her perform a sex act, something he always denied.