A police officer was today formally acquitted in York of providing confidential information to a person held in custody on a criminal charge.

PC Caitlin Howarth, 24, denied a charge of misconduct in a public office when she appeared before York Crown Court on Wednesday afternoon.

Heather Gilmore for the prosecution told the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, that the Crown Prosecution Service had decided on reviewing the evidence that there was not a realistic prospect of conviction and offered no evidence against the West Yorkshire Police officer.

PC Howarth, of Bingley, was then acquitted and walked free from court. She had been accused of providing details of evidence and case information to a defendant on a criminal charge.  

Her lawyers had been preparing to ask for the case to be dismissed on the grounds of no case to answer. The case was  heard in York to ensure that no-one who knew PC Howarth in her official capacity was involved.