A LAWYER has been cleared of charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Jane Scott, a solicitor based at Hartlepool, walked free from Teesside Crown Court yesterday, after a judge decided the case against her should not go ahead.

Solicitor James Watson, representing Miss Scott, made a statement on her behalf demanding a public apology from the chief constable of Cleveland Police, a full internal investigation into the prosecution, the disciplining of the officers involved in the case and a "suitable sum of compensation for her reputation having been trashed".

Miss Scott, 35, a partner at Smith and Graham solicitors in Hartlepool, had been charg-ed with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice.

Also charged was Sharlene Owens, 21, of Gray Street, Hartlepool, who was alleged to have conspired to pervert the course of justice, providing information for her co-acc-used to create a false alibi for a man accused of burglary. Owens, who pleaded guilty, will be sentenced later.

But yesterday, Judge John Walford dismissed the charg-es against Miss Scott before she was asked to enter a plea.

The prosecution alleged that Miss Scott had given the other woman information, allowing her boyfriend to establish an alibi and enabling him to get bail.

Stephen Ashurst, for Miss Scott, asked Judge Walford to consider the argument there was not sufficient evidence for "any properly directed jury to convict her".

Judge Walford said there was no evidence to show that Miss Scott had any idea the information she had given would be used "in this way".