[Scarlett.]

Freeman, 28, was accused of raping the girl on a poolside sunlounger while they were staying with their families at the same hotel two years ago.

The actor - who played mechanic Scott Windsor in the ITV1 soap - admitted he knew the girl, who is from Cheshire.

But he told the High Court in Bridgetown she never resisted his advances.

He said they first began kissing one evening after swimming in the hotel pool and then went on to have sex on a nearby lounger.

He denied she had ever asked him to stop.

Sales consultant James Broughton said he was on a friend's lounger by the pool when he overheard "pleasurable" sounds.

He admitted he recognised the actor and went over to take photographs of the pair which he sold to a tabloid newspaper for £1,500.

Mr Broughton told the court he was not aware of the rape charges until two days after he sold the pictures.

It would be a travesty of justice to convict my client on this kind of evidence

Anesta Weekes QC

He also said he had seen the pair "cuddling" on the lounger after the alleged incident.

Anesta Weekes QC, defending Freeman, said the girl's own evidence showed the sex was consensual and the girl "made the dreadful choice to lie" when her parents "had beaten her up" for it.

Ms Weekes said although they were interrupted three times, the girl did not raise the alarm.

"It would be a travesty of justice to convict my client on this kind of evidence," she added.

But Barbados's director of public prosecutions, Charles Leacock QC, said Freeman wanted a "fast and nasty" job.

He said the actor wanted "a quickie to satisfy nothing but his adamant lust", and claimed he had "brutally deflowered" the girl despite her protests.

The jury took 90 minutes to reach a unanimous not guilty verdict.

Speaking outside the court, the actor said: "I'm looking forward to spending time with my family and close friends who have been enormously supportive to me over the past two years."


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