An American teacher has been acquitted this afternoon after being extradited back to the island to face sexual assault charges against a former student.

The defendant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, stood trial in Magistrates’ Court for charges dating back to May 2007 in a local school.

The court heard the teacher left the island the same day he was told he had been suspended from his school due to the allegations.

But magistrate Archibald Warner rejected assertions from prosecutors that the defendant’s abrupt decision to leave the island was tantamount to an admission of guilty.

Mr Warner said a written ruling will be issued in due course.

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