A FORMER gymnastics instructor — cleared of a catalogue of historic child sex offences — has said justice has been done.

Paul Schofield, aged 47, said the charges, which were alleged to have taken place while he worked at Bolton Metro Olympic Gymnastics Club in Farnworth in the mid 1990s, have put a “large strain on his life” over the past 18 months.

A man, now aged 32, accused Mr Schofield of sexually abusing him when he attended the club twice a week when he was aged 14 and 15.

Mr Schofield, a business analyst, said: “I am just glad it is all over. I really don’t feel like I have anything to celebrate. I have spent more than £15,000 on legal costs.

“I don’t know what would have happened if I couldn’t remember events from the time. The case was left to the jury to making up their mind on very little information.” He said the pressure had led to him losing focus and motivation at work and the legal costs had forced him to make redundancies within his company.

Mr Schofield said he called police officers — unaware whether the allegations were about him or if he was wanted as a witness — after hearing police were looking for him.

He added: “I was arrested at the police station when I arranged to go in. I had DNA swabs and my fingerprints taken and I was put in a cell. It was a very upsetting situation.”

Mr Schofield is now seeking legal advice as he was interviewed and arrested before the complainant had given a full statement — a process that the jury heard was not uncommon.

A number of witnesses from the former Bolton Council-run club, who Mr Schofield had lost touch with, were called to give evidence for his defence.

Mr Schofield said: “The case could have affected my reputation but the work I do is outside of the Bolton area. It must be very difficult for people who are in the public eye.

“I don’t regret being involved in the gym. There was too many good things that happened during my 10 years of coaching, they were the best times of my life. I would never let anybody remove all of the good memories.”

He believes the allegations resulted from a “grudge” or a “white lie” the complainant told to his family. Mr Schofield has taught gymnastics to thousands of children and has no criminal record.

Strict bail conditions meant Mr Schofield was unable to see his niece and nephew, who he enjoys spending time with, unsupervised until the conclusion of the case.

He said: “One of the hardest things has been I have always had a really good relationship with young people. I have taught children gymnastics from three years old. The case has made it feel like it was something that was dirty.”

Mr Schofield added that he believes “false allegations” will prevent people like him from running similar clubs for youngsters.

“I believe the police are so scared of getting their fingers burned because of cases like Jimmy Savile that they rush into charging people. Doing that doesn’t right the wrongs that were done in the past. I can see a lot of miscarriages of justice happening,” he said.

He wanted to thank his legal team, Colin Buckle and Samantha Cole and old friends from the club, who gave evidence and helped secure the verdicts.

A jury of nine men and three women cleared Mr Schofield, of Railway View, Hednesford, Staffordshire, of gross indecency with a child and five counts of indecent assault of a child after just over five hours of deliberations at Bolton Crown Court yesterday.