A RESPECTED and popular mosque worker, who was tried at court over claims that he sexually molested two young boys, has been cleared of all allegations.

The trial of Yasir Muhammed Hafiz, who worked at the Madrassah Nur Qur'an mosque, in Parkside Road, West Bowling, Bradford, collapsed last August after concerns over an interpreter's translation of the evidence.

Mr Hafiz, 31, of Daleside Walk, West Bowling, had pleaded not guilty to nine charges of sexually assaulting a child under 13, and seven of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Prosecutor Michael Collins had alleged at Bradford Crown Court that Mr Hafiz had sexually abused two boys, aged nine and 12, by hugging and tickling them in a sexual manner, kissing one of them and putting their hands on his private parts.

Mr Hafiz denied to police any sexual misconduct and told the jury the allegations were a lie.

Judge Jonathan Rose discharged the jury because misinterpretation of the defendant's evidence had made the trial unfair.

The judge told the jury: "This is a man of good character, facing very serious charges. I cannot take a risk with the reputation and liberty of a man if there is something not right about the evidence."

Judge Rose fixed a provisional date this month for a retrial.

But the case was withdrawn at a brief hearing at Bradford Crown Court this week.

A court spokesman said the prosecution had offered no evidence and Judge Peter Benson entered not guilty verdicts on all charges.

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said yesterday: “The CPS decided to stop the case as the victim’s family no longer supported the prosecution, and the case could not proceed without their evidence. Although we have an option to issue a witness summons to compel attendance, in this case we decided that this course of action was inappropriate.”

Nasreen Khan, a community councillor in West Bowling and a neighbour of Mr Hafiz, said he had been left extremely traumatised.

Mrs Khan said: "He has always said he was innocent of these false allegations. He has had to move away from where he worked, where he had a fantastic reputation teaching young children. I have young children who looked up to him."

She said Mr Hafiz would never get over the 30 days he had spent in custody, or the trauma of his year-long ordeal.

"God only knows whether he is going to be able to come out of this," Mrs Khan said. "He is delighted that his name has been cleared in court. But for me, his name needs to be cleared in the community where he will be living.

"It is easy for someone to be tarnished with a label like this. In cases like this people are seen as guilty until proved innocent, whereas the law states they are innocent until proved guilty. I think the name of someone who is not proven to be guilty in such cases should not be out there in the public because the public makes its own mind up."