ALLEGATIONS of sexual assault against a 26-year-old man were ruled unsafe by a judge and the case thrown out of court.

Christopher Skeels had been facing two counts of indecent assault at Maidstone Crown Court when he was formally found not guilty following legal arguments.

His barrister said that the alleged victim’s evidence was “unreliable and contradictory”. Mr Skeels, of Halfway Road, Sheerness, had denied both offences.

Ordering that the jury return formal verdicts of not guilty, Judge Warwick McKinnon said: “In my judgment the evidence in this case is confused and there are significant contradictions.”

He added that if he did not throw the case out, the lack of any independent support and the background of hostility between the two parties would make it “dangerous” for the jury to consider verdicts.

“There are a number of highly unsatisfactory features about the evidence in this case,” Judge McKinnon continued. “I come to the conclusion that the evidence has not reached that bare minimum required before it could be left to you (the jury) to make a decision upon it.

“The complainant has been demonstrated to be untruthful and unreliable in her evidence.”

In her evidence the alleged victim had told the court Mr Skeels had visited her at home and during his stay had put his hand up her skirt and grabbed her crotch and tried to kiss her.

She said when she asked him to leave he had licked her face.