Jury fails to reach verdicts on man accused of sexual assaults on child

A jury in the trial of a Spalding lorry driver accused of sexually assaulting a girl has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts.

Shaun Denmead, 44, of Thames Road, Spalding, denied 15 sexual charges during an eight day trial at Lincoln Crown Court.

They included six counts of sexual assault on a child and nine charges of sexual activity with a child.

The jury of eight women and four men failed to reach any verdicts on the 15 charges after deliberating for over seven hours.

Judge Catarina Sjolin-Knight discharged the jury and gave the prosecution two weeks to decide if they will seek a retrial against Mr Denmead.

Jurors were played a video recorded interview of the girl’s account to the police which was taken after the allegations were made in January 2025.

During her video the girl, who can not be named to protect her identity, described how she was sexually touched and kissed by Denmead.

Giving evidence in court from behind a screen, the girl confirmed the sexual touching by Denmead.

However Denmead, in his evidence to the jury, insisted the allegations against him were false and fabricated. 

Prosecution barrister Richard Butters asked Denmead: “Your evidence is that throughout her interview she was lying from start to finish?”

Speaking from the witness box, Denmead replied: “Yes.”

“You are completely innocent of all the allegations?”, Mr Butters asked Denmead. “You have nothing to hide?”

Denmead repeated: “That is correct.”

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