Sticky Mud

Oct 1 2012

Innocent man tells of ordeal after false accusations

"Tony Holden who was found guilty of sexual harassment but has now been cleared

SEX lies threatened a man’s future when tongue-wagging gossips tormented him.

For months, neighbours taunted 38-year-old Tony Holden after he was found guilty of sexual harassment and was forced to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years.

But today, after Tony cleared his name and won an appeal against his conviction, he told of his ordeal and how he was haunted knowing he was innocent.

Officers stormed the Beehive Pub in High Bridge, Newcastle, in December, when he was accused of sexually touching a woman at a West End nursing home.

And since being found guilty at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court Tony has been subjected to cruel jibes.

He said: “It has been horrendous. I have had abuse in the street. People have called me everything. The police came to my house and said I must sign on the sex offenders’ register for five years. I couldn’t believe it. I was no risk at all.

“My life wasn’t worth living. I had to go to the doctors. It’s all I could think about. I was thinking about it morning to night.

“It ruined everything – my chances of getting a job.”"

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2012/10/01/72703-31941440/#ixzz287TzqqJD