A Selby man who had four rape charges against him thrown out by a judge said today his life had been torn apart.

David Law spoke out after the Crown prosecution case "collapsed like a pack of cards" before the trial even started.

The jury had not even been sworn in at York Crown Court when the case was discontinued because of insufficient evidence.

Mr Law said the ordeal had left him a broken man, despite his innocence.

The 48-year-old divorcee said: "I've lost my home, my job, everything. I now live partly at my dad's house, in Selby, and the rest of the time I sleep in my car.

"I'm on incapacity benefit because of all the stress. Where's the justice in that?"

Mr Law, who used to live in Hardy Street, Selby, was accused of four charges of rape and one of indecent assault. He denied all the charges, which involved the same woman.

He says he has been vilified and shunned by people who know him since he first appeared in court.

"I have had young girls shouting and pointing at me, calling me a pervert, and people have been pulling my family up in the street. It's a never-ending nightmare."

He added: "I was told that the prosecution was prepared to drop the rape charges if I pleaded guilty to indecent assault, but I refused because I was innocent."

Mr Law said he fully supported the campaign launched by former Tory MP Neil Hamilton and his wife, Christine. The couple have called for alleged rapists to be given anonymity until convicted after they, too, were accused of rape only to see the charges dropped.

Mr Law, a former lorry driver, says he was also sacked from his job as soon as he was charged with rape.

He said: "It will be very hard for me to get a job in Selby now because of these false allegations and I may have to move away to start a new life.

"I just want people to know the truth and to stop harassing me and my family. It's making us all ill."

Mr Law was represented by MBM Solicitors, in York. The firm's court clerk, John Gregory, said: "The case was discontinued before it even started because of insufficient evidence."

Updated: 15:03 Friday, May 23, 2003