SYDNEY — An Australian actress who starred in the hit television show “Prisoner” was Tuesday cleared of child sex charges dating back to the 1980s, a court official said.
Maggie Kirkpatrick, 74, had denied any wrongdoing but was found guilty in August of two charges of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency with a person under 16.
But Victorian County Court Judge Geoffrey Chettle was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt about the allegations and set aside the conviction on appeal and dismissed all three charges, a court spokesman confirmed.
Kirkpatrick came to fame playing a formidable prison warder known as “The Freak” in the 1980s soap opera which was also hugely popular in Britain and the United States where it was known as “Prisoner: Cell Block H.”
She was alleged to have assaulted the 14-year-old girl at her home in 1984 after a friend arranged a meeting.
The actor had defended her actions in taking the girl, who was being treated at a psychiatric hospital, home for dinner “as a kindness.”
Outside court, Kirkpatrick thanked her lawyers, family and “the hundreds of fans and members of the acting fraternity who have stood by me for the last two years.”
“It’s been rather difficult but I’m very happy with the result,” she told reporters.
Australia is holding a government-backed inquiry into child sex abuse which has heard harrowing evidence of assaults reaching back decades involving places of worship, orphanages, community groups and schools.
In June the hearing announced plans to put the spotlight on the entertainment industry, although the Kirkpatrick case was not part of this.
