St Gilbert's head teacher cleared of sex abuse
BBCAn ex-headmaster has been found not guilty of historical sexual abuse at a Catholic boys' school.
David Burns, 87, was found not guilty of two serious sexual offences, one of indecent assault and two of child cruelty.
Mr Burns, who was head at St Gilbert's, Hartlebury, faces 13 more counts of child cruelty and one assault causing actual bodily harm from 1966 to 1972.
The jury at Birmingham Crown Court is to continue deliberations on Tuesday.
A pupil had alleged Mr Burns sexually abused him hundreds of times and warned him "don't tell anyone" about the abuse, the jury heard.
The allegations relate to excessive beatings of boys who had misbehaved, involving 16 complainants now in their 60s, the court has heard.
Mr Burns denies all charges.
UnknownThe judge earlier directed the jury towards majority verdicts when it was not able to reach a unanimous verdict on any of the 19 counts.
Charges of child cruelty and assault causing actual bodily harm against Mr Burns were dropped earlier in his trial.
St Gilbert's, which taught boys who had committed petty misdemeanours, closed in 1986.
The school was run by the Catholic De La Salle Order of Christian Brothers under the governance of the Home Office.
The case against Mr Burns' co-accused Vincent Rochford, 87, was dismissed last month.
