Nelson chef ‘not guilty’ in teen dish washer sex claims case

A jury at Burnley Crown Court took just an hour to find Alan Calleja not guilty of 11 charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, after a two-day trial at Burnley Crown Court. He was discharged from the dock by Judge Jonathan Gibson.

The jury had heard allegations Calleja (33), of Smith Street, Nelson, preyed on the alleged victim and told her she would be sacked if she did not perform a sex act on him. She had claimed he abused her weekly over the four months she worked at a restaurant.

The defendant had been arrested after the girl made her claims to her mother. He denied any sexual involvement with the teenager whatsoever.

Calleja said he had got on with the girl. He said he couldn’t think of any reason why she would make false allegations against him, but said nothing like she claimed happened at all.