Sex charges against TV presenter John Leslie were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service when he appeared at London's Southwark Crown Court today.
The 38-year-old former host of ITV’s This Morning was told in the last few minutes.
Leslie, who has always maintained his innocence, had been accused of attacking the same woman twice between May 25 and May 28, 1997.
But the charges were dropped after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to offer any evidence against him.
"The prosecution gladly acknowledges that he will leave this court without a stain on his character from this investigation," the CPS lawyer added.