A father-of-four has been acquitted of sexually touching a 13-year-old girl’s thigh.

A jury of seven men and five women took just under two hours to find John Nielsen, 70, of Old School Place, Croydon not guilty at Kingston Crown Court today.

He had told interviewers he "had nothing to hide".

Mr Nielsen had been accused of the offence between August 1 and September 14, last year, at Hunt's Cafe in Chessington Business Park.

In relation to the charge, Mr Nielsen said he had made a "poking" gesture towards a rash on the girl’s leg, but had stopped short of touching her. He said if he had touched her, it would not have been sexual.

Defence counsel Joao Arsenio said the girl had a history of making things up.

She had told people at the cafe where the alleged offence took place her younger sister had died, but later admitted this was a lie designed, to get Mr Nielsen to "back off", the court had heard.

Mr Arsenio said: "Of course Mr Nielsen was sympathetic to her and that, I'll submit to you, was his biggest mistake."

He argued the allegation could relate to the fact Mr Nielsen told the girl he was moving to Croydon, and she did not want to lose him.

Mr Arsenio told the jury: "She knew he was going away. And she could not bear to miss someone who was being friendly to her."

Prosecutor Chetna Patel had told the jury Mr Nielsen was waiting for an opportunity after weeks of talking to the young girl.

The complainant said she had endured weeks of suggestive comments such as being called "sexy" and told "if there weren't any CCTV cameras around here I'd take you to my flat".

Mr Nielsen who lived at the business park at the time, denied calling her sexy, but admitted he had made comments about CCTV.

He added on the occasion he mentioned CCTV, the girl had been "lingering", and wanting to leave, he told her he was not going to take her to his flat.

The jury was sent to consider their verdict at lunchtime and later found Mr Nielsen innocent of touching the girl.