A swimming coach who taught Rebecca Adlington when she was a young schoolgirl has been cleared of raping a 14-year-old girl while he was a serving police detective.

Raymond Jeacock, 62, was accused of attacking the victim on her bed after giving her a lift home from a police station 36 years ago, several years before he became a swimming coach.

A court heard the former detective constable, then aged 26, had taken the girl home in an unmarked police car in 981 and then attacked her in her bedroom, a court heard.

But a jury took just 15 minutes to clear him of the crime at Nottingham Crown Court today.

Raymond Jeacock, pictured, was accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in 1981 when he was a detective for Nottinghamshire Police but was cleared of the crime today

The teen's father complained to Nottinghamshire Police at the time and disciplinary proceedings were launched but no charges were brought.

But the investigation was reopened in 2014 after the woman complained to police.

Jeacock, of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, was charged with rape, which he denied, and the trial began last week.

The court heard the ex-detective resigned from Nottinghamshire Police in July 1981 after a disciplinary hearing into the rape claim.

Prosecutor Andrew Vout said Jeacock was 'required to resign from the police force' but no criminal charge was brought after a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Giving evidence, Jeacock told the jury he 'wasn't the most educated at the time' and went on to work in security and as a social worker after leaving the police.

He then qualified as a swimming coach under Nottinghamshire County coach Bill Furniss, who is now the British Swimming GB head coach.

Jeacock told the court he coached 600 children, including Olympic hero Rebecca Adlington who won two gold medals in the Beijing 2008 games.

He said: 'I did coach Rebecca Adlington, her family and two sisters.'

Jeacock coached double Olympic Gold medal-winning swimmer Rebecca Adlington, left with her 2008 medals and right in 2016 with fellow Olympics presenter Mark Foster, when she was a young schoolgirl

Adlington won the 800m freestyle and 400m freestyle swimming events in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She is pictured celebrating her 800m victory

Jeacock, who went on to be appointed head coach at Mansfield Swimming Club, also said his own children were county champions and Midlands district champions.

Earlier in the trial, the court heard the alleged victim met Jeacock when she was questioned at a police station in December 1980 in connection with her boyfriend who was in jail.

The jury were told Jeacock offered to drive her home and then raped her in her bedroom before 'pretending to be looking for something under the bed' when her father walked in.

Prosecutor Mr Vout said: 'She was shocked and terrified. She didn't fight him; she did as she was told.'

In a 2014 police interview, the alleged victim, who is now her in 50s, said: 'I didn't fight back, I didn't tell him to stop, I didn't do anything [...] I couldn't cope with the thought that I didn't do anything.'

Adlington, pictured left winning bronze at the London Olympics in 2012 and right at the British Gas Swimming Championships, also 2012, retired from swimming in February 2013

The court heard the girl's parents complained to police and she was taken for a medical examination several days after the incident.

Mr Vout told the jury no criminal charges were bought but Jeacock was 'required to resign' after a Nottinghamshire Police disciplinary hearing.

Jeacock denied the allegations when the woman complained to police two years ago.

He maintained his innocence throughout and told the court he never touched the girl and was searching her house for stolen property after dropping her home.