An award-winning artist convicted of sexually abusing a girl who became pregnant has been granted a retrial.
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Dennis Michael Nona, 40, is behind bars after an ACT Supreme Court jury found him guilty of offences against two young girls in the 1990s.
Nona appealed the conviction, arguing the trial judge, acting Justice John Nield, misdirected the jury.
The ACT Court of Appeal on Tuesday quashed the convictions on four counts and ordered a retrial on those charges.
But the three judges - Chief Justice Terence Higgins, Justice Hilary Penfold and Justice John Dowsett – rejected his appeal against a refusal to stay the prosecution.
Nona - considered one of the Torres Strait's best artists and his works have been displayed in galleries around the country and the world - is serving time for the offences.
In August last year, jurors found Nona had committed four child sex charges against the two girls.
One girl became pregnant, likely with his baby, but had an abortion.
The incidents occurred while Nona was studying at the Australian National University.
But the Court of Appeal quashed two charges of sexual intercourse with a child and a further two counts of committing acts of indecency on a child.
The judgment, handed down by Justice Hilary Penfold on Tuesday, will be published in the coming days.
Nona will likely face his retrial in 2014.