Dawn Reed, 31, and Christopher Lillie, 37, were last week awarded Pounds 200,000 each in damages over allegations in a report for Newcastle City Council. The nursery nurses had been acquitted in a trial in 1994 of committing serious sexual assaults against children at the council day nursery they worked in. But the council's 1998 report that reviewed the case, Abuse in early years, concluded that both nursery nurses were in fact guilty.
In his 700-page judgement on the libel action, Mr Justice Eady said he was 'entirely satisfied' of Mr Lillie and Ms Reed's innocence. He added, 'What matters primarily is that they are entitled to be vindicated and recognised as innocent citizens who should, in my judgement, be free to exist for what remains of their lives untouched by the stigma of child abuse.'
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