Mr Stothard was found not guilty of two charges of indecent assault by the jury.
A TEACHER accused of having a sexual "affair" with a 14-year-old pupil in the early 1990s has insisted she never even entered his home.
Wallasey School languages teacher Stephen Dickman, 58, told Liverpool crown court jurors there was no truth in the woman’s claims they were in a relationship.
Dickman, of Kenilworth Road, Neston, denies three offences of indecent assault, representing an alleged course of conduct spanning 18 months in the early 1990s.
Teacher, former magistrate and ex-Labour Ellesmere Port councillor Graham Stothard, 53, now of Lagos, Nigeria, is alleged to have sexually abused the girl on one occasion after being introduced to her by his long-term friend Dickman.
The alleged victim, who is now in her mid-30s, claims she began a relationship with Dickman after writing a letter to him revealing a crush. She claims he kissed her after school, before a sexual relationship developed.
But when asked by his barrister Peter Davies if he had ever had a sexual relationship with the girl, Dickman replied firmly: "I did not".
Mr Davies said: "Did you do any of the things alleged against you?"
Dickman responded: "I certainly did not."
Dickman accepted he taught the girl Spanish, but he denied she had ever sent him a letter revealing her crush.
He claimed she had confided in him after she had an abortion after getting pregnant.
He said he told the deputy head teacher, who advised she should have counselling, but when the girl refused Dickman said he tried to help her.
The teacher, who was divorced at the time, admitted occasionally giving the youngster a lift, but insisted he had done the same for other pupils.
Asked about their relationship, he said: "It was a professional pupil-teacher relationship."
He added: "She has never been in my home. That never actually happened."
But David Owen, prosecuting, challenged Dickman, saying: "You knew she vulnerable and so you could exploit her. You saw her as an easy target for your sexual desires."
Dickman responded: "Absolutely not. I object to that."
Mr Owen said: "You had not been in a sexual relationship for many years and this girl was easy meat."
Dickman answered: "No, that did not happen at all."
He admitted Stothard was a good friend of his and they used to see each other regularly, but he denied that he had arranged for him to meet the girl.
Stothard was a Wirral magistrate until 2008, a Labour councillor in the 1990s and an ex-special needs officer.
(Proceeding)
