A SECONDARY school teacher wept as he was cleared of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old pupil in the middle of a lesson.

Stephen Kenyon, a computer science teacher, was alleged to have touched the schoolgirl for a 'sexual thrill'.

The married 54-year-old vehemently denied touching her and told the trial 'I certainly wouldn't harm a young girl in any way, shape or form'.

At Southampton Crown Court, Kenyon sobbed loudly as a jury unanimously cleared him of the single charge of sexual assault.

The court had heard he qualified as a teacher in 2012 at Southampton University and has taught at Noadswood School in Dibden Purlieu, for about ten years, the only school he has ever worked at.

Kenyon, said: "I noticed that [the alleged victim] seemed to be struggling with her work so I said 'Do you want any help?' and she said yes."

He said he asked the girl and the girl sitting to her left to 'budge up' so he could crouch down between them, holding onto the chair leg of the girl on the left to support himself while he operated the alleged victim's keyboard and mouse with his right hand.

Kenyon told the court he helped her then stood back up and moved on, never touching the girl or any other pupil in any way.

Asked if he would describe himself as over-friendly, he said: "I wouldn't say over-friendly, I'm just a friendly person. I love my job. I might talk a little bit too much."

He added that it would be 'completely inappropriate' to touch a pupil and that 'as far as I'm aware, I had no physical contact with her or any other pupil... I can't rule out that I accidentally touched her but I don't think that's the case and certainly not in that way'.

He told the jury: "I don't want to call anyone a liar, she believes what she believes, but I know that I have not touched her and I certainly have not touched her intentionally."

Kenyon, of Dibden Purlieu, walked free after being cleared of one charge of sexual assault earlier this week.