Sex charges against television presenter John Leslie have been dropped after his alleged victim approached police with "new information".The 38-year-old former host of ITV's This Morning was told the news at London's Southwark Crown Court.
The prosecution offered no evidence against Mr Leslie, saying it had "come into possession of further material that has led to the charges against the defendant being reviewed.
"The prosecution gladly acknowledges that he will leave this court without a stain on his character from this investigation," a Crown Prosecution Service lawyer told the court.
Mr Leslie, who has always maintained his innocence, had been accused of assaulting the same woman twice between May 25 and May 28, 1997.
He was accompanied in court by his girlfriend Abby Titmuss and his parents.
Outside the courthouse Mr Leslie shrugged and said: "What can I say?
"I am an innocent man. I have maintained my innocence throughout and today it's been justified.
"In the last 10 months my family and I have been taken to hell and back, although we always believed that justice would prevail and the truth would out.
Choking back tears, he went on: "I would not be able to be here if it wasn't for my mum and dad, my family, my girlfriend and my friends, who to a man stood by me, and the general public for their letters, cards and kind words."
When asked if he would get his old job back he said: "Who knows. You tell me.
But This Morning later said: "Our position has not changed. We asked John to tell us what he was planning to do about the allegations - and received no response.
"It was impossible for him to continue and we had no choice but to establish a new presenting team.
"We have no plans to change that team now."
The publicist Max Clifford told Sky News: "The reality is that John Leslie's reputation with the public has been badly damaged and his career all but destroyed.
"He now needs as much support from the media as he can get to win over the public
The prosecution offered no evidence against Mr Leslie, saying it had "come into possession of further material that has led to the charges against the defendant being reviewed.
"The prosecution gladly acknowledges that he will leave this court without a stain on his character from this investigation," a Crown Prosecution Service lawyer told the court.
Mr Leslie, who has always maintained his innocence, had been accused of assaulting the same woman twice between May 25 and May 28, 1997.
He was accompanied in court by his girlfriend Abby Titmuss and his parents.
Outside the courthouse Mr Leslie shrugged and said: "What can I say?
"I am an innocent man. I have maintained my innocence throughout and today it's been justified.
"In the last 10 months my family and I have been taken to hell and back, although we always believed that justice would prevail and the truth would out.
Choking back tears, he went on: "I would not be able to be here if it wasn't for my mum and dad, my family, my girlfriend and my friends, who to a man stood by me, and the general public for their letters, cards and kind words."
When asked if he would get his old job back he said: "Who knows. You tell me.
But This Morning later said: "Our position has not changed. We asked John to tell us what he was planning to do about the allegations - and received no response.
"It was impossible for him to continue and we had no choice but to establish a new presenting team.
"We have no plans to change that team now."
The publicist Max Clifford told Sky News: "The reality is that John Leslie's reputation with the public has been badly damaged and his career all but destroyed.
"He now needs as much support from the media as he can get to win over the public
