A London court has found Irish priest Father Neil Horan not guilty of indecency with a child.
The prosecution at the Old Bailey alleged Fr Horan (57) of Nunhead, south
London, took off a pair of green underpants and chased the seven-year-old girl around his church bedsit.
Fr Horan, who brought chaos to the British Grand Prix and the Athens Olympics marathon in a kilt, denied the offence, which dated back to 1991.
The priest, who has not worked at a Roman Catholic church for 10 years, told the court the incident was an innocent misunderstanding.
His actions were not sexual and the allegation was an "abominable lie". Outside court, he said: "It is the best moment of my life."
The jury of four women and eight men took only an hour to clear Fr Horan.