The parents of the former au pair Ms Louise Woodward said yesterday they hoped to "draw a line under this whole unhappy and upsetting episode" after being found not guilty of defrauding their daughter's appeal fund.
Mr Gary Woodward and Mrs Susan Woodward made the declaration after a judge at Chester Crown Court directed the jury in their trial to deliver not-guilty verdicts on charges of submitting a forged invoice to the Louise Woodward and Family Trust and providing false information.
The couple, now estranged, issued a statement through Mrs Woodward's solicitor, Mr Sean Sexton, saying: "From the very beginning we denied any wrongdoing and our protestations of innocence were accepted by the trustees, who were the people best placed to judge the competing versions at the time."
The acquittal came after seven days of evidence in which the prosecution alleged the couple had submitted a forged invoice for $15,400 (£9,113 sterling) to their daughter's appeal fund, which was established after her arrest in February 1997 in connection with the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen.
Shortly after 11 a.m. Judge Rogers QC informed prosecution and defence counsel there was evidence upon which the jury could decide that the invoice was false and clear evidence "that the false invoice caused the trustees to pay £9,113 to the Woodwards".
But the crucial question was whether the jury could be sure that all the money paid into the trust fund belonged to the trust and that none of it belonged to the Woodwards, the judge said.
The judge concurred with the trust fund solicitor, Mr Paul Barrow, who had said no one could distinguish between money donated to Ms Woodward, her parents, or the fund. Directing the jury to return not-guilty verdicts, Judge Rogers said they could not distinguish between money intended for the Woodwards and the appeal fund.
"It is my responsibility to have to conclude that the Crown failed to provide evidence on which any reasonable jury could convict and I have to direct you to return verdicts of not guilty on each count," he said.
In a statement after the hearing, Cheshire Police defended its decision to pursue allegations against the Woodwards. Supt Phil Thompson of the Cheshire Police said: "In view of the allegation being made, and the considerable public interest in a fund that many ordinary members of the public had made donations to, a police investigation was launched . . . we believe that, given the public interest, it was appropriate that these issues be aired through the legal process."
Ms Jean Jones, the Elton resident and prosecution witness who started the fighting fund, said she was "shocked".
"Obviously I am very shocked because I was certain that it was a strong case and that was my firm belief. But obviously the court didn't. I think it was wrong but who am I to say that?" Ms Jones said.