A 30-year-old man who was accused of sexually assaulting two young boys has been acquitted by a jury.

Neil Watkin, of Irwell Street, East Bowling, Bradford, was alleged to have groped the youngsters, who were aged 11 and 12 and cannot be identified for legal reasons, between May and September last year.

But giving evidence at Bradford Crown Court yesterday, Watkin, who works for a printing company in Shipley, rejected the boy's claims.

He accepted that he had in the past been playfighting with the boys but said that he did not abuse either of them.

Watkin told the jury that he did not know why the boys would make up the allegations.

The jury had been told during the trial that Watkin assaulted the oldest boy.

The youngest boy told police he had felt scared and frightened and felt like he just wanted to run away and never come back.

Watkin was alleged to have given both boys money and told them that he would "spoil them rotten".

He pleaded not guilty to seven counts of sexual assault on a child.