Tycoon cleared of sex assault

Tycoon cleared of sex assault

Bloom has been bailed till next month when he will be sentenced

A wealthy property developer has been cleared of indecently assaulting his 14-year-old girlfriend after he said she lied about her age.

Baron Bloom, of St John's Wood, north London, was found not guilty by a jury following a three-day trial at the Old Bailey in London.

But the 28-year-old still faces a jail sentence for indecently assaulting the girl's 15-year-old friend which he was convicted for in December.

The jury could not agree in the case of the 14-year-old so it led to a retrial on Wednesday.

She lied about her age...I believed she was 18

Baron Bloom

Bloom told the court he met the younger teenager in June 2001 and thought she was older.

He said he found out her true age after he met her mother in September.

"She lied about her age," said Bloom. "I believed she was 18. We had sex on many occasions."

Bloom said the girl, who is now 16, had been his girlfriend and she told the court she had fallen in love with him.

But the love turned to hate when he called off the relationship.

'Forbidden fruit'

She sent him an e-mail saying: "Happy birthday in advance. A bottle of Viagra is on its way" and a fax saying: "I was very stupid to offer you my virginity."

The prosecution had alleged he was attracted to the 14-year-old because she was "forbidden fruit".

Bloom was found guilty at the earlier trial of indecently assaulting her 15-year-old friend.

The older teenager told the court she had taken her 14-year old friend to hospital after she collapsed from drinking too much champagne with Bloom and his friends at a Mayfair nightclub.

Later, the two girls went to Bloom's flat because it was too late to go home.

The girl said Bloom fondled her as she lay in a double bed with him, his friend and the 14-year-old.

Bloom has been bailed to appear next month when he will be sentenced.