Former deputy speaker of Britain's lower house of parliament, accused of sexual offences, was today cleared of all charges, including one of rape.
A jury at Preston Crown court found Nigel Evans, 56, not guilty of one count of rape, five sexual assaults, one attempted sexual assault and two indecent assaults.
The Ribble Valley, Conservative MP was elected in 2010 as one of the three deputy speakers. He stepped down as a deputy speaker last September after he was charged with the offences, involving men who were all in their 20s at the time.
He has not returned to the Conservatives in the House of Commons and is representing his constituents as an independent.
Speaking outside the court this afternoon, Evans said he had been "through 11 months of hell" after being cleared of committing nine sexual offences against seven young men. "Nothing will ever be the same again," he said.
