A COUPLE accused of indecently assaulting two youngsters in care homes they ran have been cleared of all charges.

Husband and wife Sylvia, 65, and Kelvin Rostron, 70, were found not guilty after an eight-day trial at Burnley Crown Court.

The couple, of Clarke Street, Rishton, had been accused of attacking the under-16s who were in their care at the East Lancashire homes in the 1960s and 1970s.

Kelvin Rostron had been charged with two counts of indecent assault and two of cruelty to a person under 16 and Mrs Rostron stood accused of one charge of indecent assault and one of cruelty.

The jury took two hours to reach its verdict.

Summing up the case yesterday, Judge Simon Newell told the jury: “Mr Rostron said he did not punish any children.

“He said ‘I did not use any physical discipline and I never used a cane on his back.

“‘I never went into the girl’s bedroom.

“‘I never sexually assaulted her.

“‘Their case is lies.

“‘It would be a terrible thing to do to somebody’.

“He cannot think of any reason they would do it.”And the judge told the jury Mrs Rostron had had ‘neither the time nor the inclination’ to carry out the assaults.

He said: “Although it was possible to have corporal punishment, they did not believe in it.

“She could not think of any reason why they would lie about the sort of things that had gone on.”

A character reference was read out on behalf of Mrs Rostron’s sister by Judge Newell.

He said: “She saw how they treated the children.

“Care and commitment to others has driven Sylvia throughout her life, leading her to work with children and the elderly.”