BOSTON -- A former teacher has been found not guilty of raping a 14-year-old female student after a week-long trial.

Michael D. Holden, 43, a former teacher at the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School, was found not guilty Tuesday of two counts of forcible rape of a child under 14.

The alleged victim, now 20, claimed that Holden drove her to a Westport hotel parking lot in 2004 and forced her to perform oral sex and to have intercourse with him in the back seat of his sport utility vehicle, the Standard Times of New Bedford reported.

Holden's attorney said the student accused Holden after he reprimanded her several times for being disruptive in class and for dressing inappropriately. Holden also recommended school suspensions and failed her for unsatisfactory work, the paper reported.

Holden, who taught at the school for 14 years and coached the boys volleyball team, was placed on unpaid leave in January 2005 for “conduct unbecoming of a teacher,” and was later fired, the paper reported. He appealed the firing but resigned while the appeal was pending.