Former Judas Priest drummer DAVID HOLLAND has been convicted of attempting to rape a teenager during a drum lesson.

Holland had denied assaulting the 17-year-old, who has learning difficulties, at the musician's rural English home in 2002.

A jury at Britain's NORTHAMPTON CROWN COURT today (23JAN04) found Holland guilty of one charge of attempted rape and five counts of indecent assault. SPIROS LAOUITARIS, 22 - who was also accused - was cleared of four counts of indecent assault.

Holland, 55, wept in the dock as the verdicts were read out.

Prosecutors said the teenager, who had sometimes stayed overnight at Holland's house while taking lessons, wrote a letter to his parents in December 2002 describing the abuse.

Prosecution lawyer MARIA SAVVIDES says, "It revealed that things were happening at his drum teacher's house that shouldn't have been happening."

23/01/2004 19:39