A coach driver facing child sex allegations is feared to have killed himself after being subjected to a vigilante hate campaign on Facebook.
David Hughes, 44, was accused of grooming girls from a majorettes troupe he ferried to cheerleading competitions.
Friends said the father-of-two was 'devastated' by the accusations, which he denied.
But Mr Hughes, from Clayton-Le-Moors, near Accrington, Lancashire, was subjected to angry messages on Facebook and was branded a 'paedo'.
In another message his photograph, name and home address was posted online.
Police were called to the coach driver's home on Thursday amid concerns he had taken an overdose when he did not turn up for work.
Officers are believed to have recovered medication and a note.
Terry O'Neill, Mr Hughes' boss at Abbey Coaches, said today: 'The old phrase "innocent until proven guilty" just seems to have thrown out of the window and banished for ever in this country.
'I believe Dave was innocent and as far as I and others were concerned there were no doubts about him.
'Yet some people just assume once someone's is merely accused they are automatically guilty as charged.
'It's terrible that in this day and age people have lived under the threat of the mob even if they are merely accused of wrongdoing.'
He appeared at Blackburn Magistrates' Court last September where he indicated not guilty pleas to three charges of meeting a girl following sexual grooming and three charges of abusing a position of trust.
Mr Hughes last appeared before Preston Crown Court for a directions hearing on the allegations on March 26, and a trial date had been fixed for June 12.
Mr Hughes was due to stand trial at Preston Crown Court, pictured, in June on six child sex charges
He had been volunteering as a coach driver for a local majorette troupe when the allegations were made.
Mr Hughes, who is believed to have grown-up daughter and a young son from separate relationships, started working for the coach company two years ago.
The Newcastle United fan, who was originally from Durham, had not been suspended from his job but his work was restricted by bail conditions imposed by the courts.
Friends said the coach driver was a 'great bloke' who was 'really upset' by the online abuse
Following his court appearances, Mr Hughes was targeted on Facebook by a man not related to the alleged victims.
The messages were later removed on the advice of Lancashire Police.
Mr O'Neill, who called the police on Thursday, said: 'I had every faith Dave would be found not guilty of all charges and would have been vindicated.
'But the abuse he was getting on Facebook in recent weeks really upset him.
'One particular man started posting his name, calling him a paedophile. It escalated and he then posted a photo of Dave along with his name and address calling him a paedo.
'It really upset him. He was devastated. I actually saw the message on Facebook and showed him. I couldn't believe what people were doing.'
An inquest has been opened and adjourned into Mr Hughes' death.
Mr O'Neill said his friend was a 'great bloke'.
He said: 'He used to do a lot of the school contracts but had to stop that after he was charged. He did the jobs taking old folks out then. I never thought about suspending him, that's how sure I was about him.'
Lancashire Police said in a statement: 'Police attended an address on Whalley Road in Clayton le Moors after a call was made regarding a concern for the safety of the occupant of the address.
'On entering the property, officers found a 44-year-old man deceased inside. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be passed to the Coroner.