Former Hey Dad! star Robert Hughes has been found guilty of nine of eleven charges of sexual assault including two counts of sexual assault and seven counts of indecent assault.
After almost twelve hours of deliberation over three days, a jury delivered the verdict to a courtroom at Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court, though still remains undecided on two counts of committing an indecent act. Judge Peter Zahra directed the jury to continue deliberations on those two undecided and that he will accept a major verdict on the two charges if they can’t come up with a unanimous verdict.
During the verdict 65-year-old Hughes, who had pleaded not guilty to all eleven of the charges against him, appeared to be saying, “no, no, no” and jumped to his feet as the jury left to lean out of the sock and shout, “I’m innocent!”
The actor’s partner, Robyn Gardiner, gave evidence in defence of her husband during the trial, but reportedly made no reaction as the verdicts were handed down.
Throughout the gruelling trial, the jury heard from five victims who detailed the horrors Hughes had put them through between the years of 1985 and 1990. In almost every case the retired actor denied both the alleged incidents and the circumstances surrounding.
