Innocent: Miss Partington was found not guilty today

An innocent social worker was accused of being a paedophile by another woman who may have been 'jealous' of her upbringing, education and job, it was claimed today.

Amy Partington, 29, was subjected to an 18-month court ordeal and suspended from her job at Manchester city council after her accuser claimed she repeatedly abused her more than 15 year ago.

She today wept with relief when a jury found her not guilty in court.

The accuser - who cannot be named - said she was just nine at the time she was molested by Miss Partington, who was also only a schoolgirl at the time.

The accuser claimed the incidents occurred in their neighbourhood over a two year period between December 2000 and December 2002.

She said she told her boyfriend when she was 14 but she didn't tell her mother until September 2014. Police were called in the following year.

But Miss Partington denied any wrongdoing and claimed the alleged victim could have been resentful of her qualifications and job.

She had completed A Levels plus a Criminology and Sociology degree at Manchester Metropolitan University before graduating with a Masters in social work.

She then got a job in social services but has been off work since the sex allegations were made against her.

It emerged the accuser - now a 25-year old former music student whose parents split up when she was a little girl - has a history of depression, anger issues and self harm.

She wrote a letter saying: 'My mum doesn't give a care and never will. I don't speak to her, she's a traitor'.

At Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, Miss Partington, from Droylsden, was unanimously cleared of seven charges of indecent assault following a three day trial.

The jury reached their not guilty verdicts in just 50 minutes.

Miss Partington declined to speak after the case but earlier giving evidence she said: 'I've been waiting for such a long time to tell people that it's not true, none of these allegations are true I wish there was more words to explain.

Amy Partington (left and right at her graduation) today wept with relief when a jury found her not guilty in court

'It's been 18 months now and not once have I been able to say this is not true, I've not done it, I'm glad I can say that here.

'I wish I knew why she would have said these things, I've thought about it ever since. I can speculate reasons such as the upbringing she's had, not having much affection and attention - there might have been that bit of jealousy.

'It could have been that I was starting to do well with my life, things were going really well I'm just speculating. I wish I did know.

'After my a-levels I went on to do my degree at Manchester Metropolitan University in Criminology and Sociology. And in June 2015 I graduated with my master's degree in social work.

'I then obtained a job as a social worker at Manchester City Council and was there until the allegations were made. I was not aware of these allegations until February 2016 and I had to notify my employer.

The accuser claimed the incidents occurred over a two year period between December 2000 and December 2002. Pictured left and right: Accused Miss Partington

Miss Partington (pictured) said in court: 'I've been waiting for such a long time to tell people that it's not true'

'We were not sure whether I was going to be charged so I was off duty doing other things and when I was charged we agreed it would not be the right place for me to be at that time.

'It's really difficult to put it into words, when you have worked hard for that amount of years and had a goal and reached it, and you have done everything then something like this can happen and take it away, it's so hard to accept and really upsetting. It kind of knocks you back.

She added: 'There were occasions when I did walk her home but not often. It was not a regular thing it was just when needed. When I did pick her up I would usually go straight to get changed because I hated being in my school uniform.

'I would go outside with friends and play football or watch TV in the living room or my bedroom. I don't particularly remember spending time with her.'

Partington's mother, Jean Clarke said: 'It's been very stressful, she's fantastic, she's helped me to cope with everything. She has dealt with it with great dignity.'

Miss Partington was suspended from her job at Manchester City Council

The accuser's mother - who worked in a department store - said: 'I was never aware of anything untoward ever happening. There did become a time in 2014 where she did speak to me. We were in our house and she was in the bedroom and was upset and she just let me come into her bedroom and told me.

'She didn't really want to go into any detail she just said that things happened. She said that Amy used to make her touch her, Amy would make her touch herself. She didn't give me anymore information just that it happened quite a lot over the two years.

'There had been a lot of things that had happened when she was about 13 she started cutting herself and we couldn't understand why she was so upset and angry.

'In 2015 she spoke to the police about it, she told me she wanted me to put it to the back of my mind and not say anything so I did that until she was ready. I said it was down to how she felt.

'She didn't really want to talk about it. I don't think she wanted me to know any details I think she was just trying to protect me. It was a bombshell to be told this was going on.'

But Miss Partington's step-sister Jennifer Kenyon said: 'Amy looks after my children. Whenever she comes around she's always around my children I completely trust her with my children. She is caring, trustworthy and she's always there for me - I know my children are safe in Amy's care.

'When it all originally came out she was really upset, she came round and spoke to me. We were all quite shocked but Amy was upset by it all. It's not affected me in how I would trust her to look after my children. It's not affected my view on Amy in any way.'