Class assistant cleared of 'snog'

A teaching assistant from Rochdale who was accused of "snogging" a 16-year-old pupil has been cleared of any wrongdoing at Manchester Crown Court.

Anthony Jennings, 39, of Boothroyden Close, denied kissing the girl in November 2007 at the school where he worked in the IT department.

He was suspended from the school after the girl's complaint against him.

A jury cleared him of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust on 13 November 2007.

Mr Jennings told the court he had confided in another teacher about the attention the schoolgirl paid him.

Jurors heard he told the colleague: "She just seems to come to me and see me for any excuse. She talks to me about things."

He added that a conversation in which he allegedly said he was old enough to be the girl's father "never took place".

The schoolgirl, who cannot be named, had said he "snogged" her and it made her feel "sick".