British police said today they had dropped investigations into claims of serious sexual assault against former Conservative minister Mr Neil Hamilton and his wife Christine after finding no evidence to back them up.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said officers were satisfied there was no evidence linking the Hamiltons to claims by college lecturer Ms Nadine Milroy-Sloan that they committed sex acts on her while she was raped by another man at a flat in Ilford, east London.
The allegations against the Hamiltons were the latest setback for the disgraced former politician who lost his parliamentary seat four years ago after accusations of parliamentary sleaze . Two years later he lost a high profile libel case.
"Following a thorough investigation the Metropolitan Police Service has found no evidence to support the allegations against Mr and Mrs Hamilton," the police spokesman said. Another man in his 60s remained on bail over the case, he added.
Ms Milroy-Sloan, 28, alleged the attack took place on May 5th. The couple were arrested and questioned by police for six hours on August 10th.
Mr Hamilton denied all wrongdoing and said he and his wife could prove they were nowhere near the site of the alleged attack. The couple have threatened to sue both Ms Milroy-Sloan and the police.
"It's wonderful news," Mrs Christine Hamilton, 51, said after the police announcement. "I'm just very sad that it's taken the police so long to come to their senses."
Publicist Mr Max Clifford, who advised Ms Milroy-Sloan to go to the police with her allegations, said she was shocked by the police decision to drop the case.
"She's very upset. She stands by everything she told the police," he said.