A Galway primary school teacher has been found not guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of sexually assaulting female pupils at his school.
The jury acquitted the man (61) following six-and-half hours of deliberations and after spending a night in a hotel. It was day seven of the trial.
He had pleaded not guilty to six charges of sexual assault on five girls, whom he taught when they were in second and third class, on dates from 1998 to 2000.
Judge Donagh McDonagh thanked the jury and excused the seven women and five men from further service for 10 years.
