A former Powys church minister has spoken about the ordeal of being wrongfully convicted of abusing a teenage boy in India.

Jonathan Robinson spent more than 10 years trying to clear his name after being jailed for three years and fined 10,500 rupees (£104) in 2011 after being found guilty of sexual abuse charges.

But last year his conviction was quashed after an appeal court in India ruled that the charge was not proved, noting that there was no witness to support the prosecution case. The court also said the prosecution had "not investigated the case properly to find out that whether the charges against the accused are true or it has been falsely created to harass the accused".

A Church of England minister and a founder of the Grail Trust – a charity to help disadvantaged children in India – Mr Robinson said without his faith and the support of his family and friends "he does not believe that he would have survived the ordeal".

Mr Robinson, who previously lived in Montgomery, said he and his family had suffered considerably with the loss of his role in the church and charity, coverage in the national media and the impact on his health from the "malicious" prosecution.

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A statement from Mr Robinson's legal team said: "Allegations were based upon vague comments made by a young man in India who, subsequently alleged that he was tortured and coerced into giving that account.

"In the Lower Indian Court he unreservedly withdrew what he had previously said.

"The prosecuting authorities and indeed the court heard the case without any tangible evidence, yet the case went against Mr Robinson. Mr Robinson was confident the matter would be dismissed in the judgement decision of the lower court, but this was not to be, to the incredulity of himself and his legal advisors.

"No translator from Tamil Nadu to English was provided, and no admissible evidence of the commission of an offence was presented the court, and neither did Mr Robinson give evidence."

The case was eventually thrown out in February 2022, Mr Robinson has revealed.

"He and his family have suffered considerably in the intervening period, having the indignity of the allegations being published in the national press, the loss of his ministry and the loss of his participation in a worthwhile charity," the statement added.

"This is not to mention the effect that this experience has had upon his health and those close to him. Without his faith and support of his family and friends he does not believe he would have survived the ordeal.

"He acknowledges that certain agencies and charities that operate worldwide do in most instances serve the best interests of those that are exploited.

"However in his case he experienced the more sinister side of some who operate in that sphere, who show little regard for truth and justice; and who further engage in political manipulation and interference of the investigating authorities and, it would appear, the judiciary itself.

"Having been the victim of a false allegation, a malicious investigation and prosecution, not to mention highly irregular court proceedings, he has found that those that were quick to publicise and to condemn him have shown little or no interest in the restoration of his good name and status or in publicising his ordeal and its effect."