A TAXI driver has been cleared of sexually assaulting a teenage passenger.

Ogato Koji was on trial at Bolton Crown Court this week and was found not guilty by a jury yesterday.

The trial heard that a 19-year-old woman had been out with a friend in Bolton town centre on February 2 last year and at 4.40am decided to go home.

The woman accused Mr Koji, a father of 11, of kissing her, putting his hands on her thighs and pulling at her knickers before leaving her at a petrol station.

The 55-year-old, of Cambria Square, Bolton, denied this and said he did not touch her apart from moving her foot from the dashboard after she did not ask him when he asked her to do so.

He said he became very angry when she did not move it because they were in danger and he was driving.

The jury retired yesterday morning and returned at around 2.40pm in the afternoon and returned the not guilty victim.

During the trial statements from the Oromu Community Association and the Imam at the Bolton mosque where he worships were read out in support of him.