A THREE Towns man has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in Ayr.
Kevin Hugh Rourke was acquitted by a jury after a trial at Ayr Sheriff Court earlier this year, having been accused of sexually assaulting a child under 16 at an address in the town.
The 45-year-old was also said to have made indecent comments towards a girl aged between 13 and 16 on August 21, 2022.
Prosecutors had claimed that Rourke carried out a sexual assault on the girl without her consent and that he "directed sexual verbal communication towards the girl" by making "indecent and sexualised comments towards her", with "the intention of obtaining sexual gratification or of humiliating, distressing or alarming her".
However, this second charge was dropped by the Crown, with the jury trial considering the sexual assault accusation only.
Rourke, previously of Saltcoats but currently living in Buckhaven, Fife, left the dock a free man having been fully acquitted of the charge.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here