A CARE home worker acquitted of the manslaughter of a resident has spoken of her sorrow over the death of a man she counted as a friend.

In a dramatic development, care assistant Marion Dixon and care home owner Christina Hooper, both 53, walked free yesterday after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced it would not offer any further evidence.

Mrs Dixon, of Lumley Road, Billingham, Teesside, and Mrs Hooper, of Paul's Green, Hetton-le-Hole, Wearside, were cleared of all charges. Both had been accused of the manslaughter by gross negligence of resident Frank Hutchison.

The 67-year-old, who suffered from schizophrenia, died after being given another resident's medication on February 28 last year at The Hollies care home, in Norton, near Stockton. He had lived there for 18 years.

A statement released on behalf of Mrs Dixon said her thoughts throughout the investigation had been for Mr Hutchison and his family.

David Wheatley, of solicitors Brown, Beer, Nixon and Mallon, said: "Mrs Dixon has never dwelt on what a dreadful situation she has been in and what could have happened to her.

"Her only concern, sorrow and sadness was for Frank Hutchison, who she thought the world of, and the effect on his family.

"She remains deeply saddened at what happened and says these feelings will remain with her for the rest of her life."

Mr Hutchison slipped into a coma shortly he was given the wrong medication by Mrs Dixon. He was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, where he died from a blood clot in his lungs on April 7.

His family declined to comment yesterday, after the two-week trial at Teesside Crown Court was halted by Judge Peter Fox, the Recorder of Middlesbrough.

The prosecution's case centred on the allegation that Mrs Dixon administered the wrong medication after a ten-and-a-half-hour night shift at the home.

At the time, she was grieving for her husband, who had died suddenly a month earlier, and should not have been put in such a position by her employer, the CPS maintained.

But after one witness from the Commission for Social Care Inspections (CSCI) told the court that the home had followed guidelines laid down by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) for administering medication - and Judge Fox ruled evidence from another expert was inadmissible - the case collapsed.

Earlier, Kenneth Pollard, regulations manager at the CSCI, in Stockton, said The Hollies' procedure of having one person on night shift administering medication had been agreed with the previous regulating authority.

Chief Crown Prosecutor Martin Goldman said yesterday: "In this instance, having discussed the state of the case with leading and junior counsel, and having consulted with colleagues in the police, and of course the family of Mr Hutchison, I took the decision that the case could no longer proceed."

Mr Goldman said he was unable to give an exact figure on the cost of the trial to the taxpayer at this time.

Christopher Charlesworth, of Ford and Warren solicitors, acting on behalf of Mrs Hooper, said: "My client is naturally very relieved that the prosecution have decided to abandon this case, but it does not alter the fact that it should never have been brought.

"The overwhelming evidence has been that Mrs Hooper is a good and conscientious proprietor of a well-run home."

A spokeswoman for the RPSGB told The Northern Echo last night that its guidelines were under review and a new document was expected to be published in September.