YORK police chief John Lacy has told of his family's "nightmare of a year", after his police officer daughter was cleared of attempted insurance fraud.

Victoria Lacy, 24, a community constable in Scarborough, smiled as the not guilty verdict was given at the end of a three-day trial at Leeds Crown Court.

Outside the courtroom she hugged her barrister, David Bradshaw, and tearfully thanked him.

Chief Superintendent Lacy, commander for York and Selby, said: "I'd like to say on behalf of Vicky that it has brought to an end what has been a nightmare of a year, not only for Vicky's reputation, her career, her self-esteem, but also her family.

"We would like to pay tribute to her legal team and all the support she has had from family and friends, but more importantly the letters of support she has had from members of the public in Scarborough.

"There are proposals in Government to change the legal system - we should never take away the right of a fair trial by jury."

But Miss Lacy, who is set to return to work, is still to have her case reviewed by the North Yorkshire Police disciplinary authority.

She was accused of trying to obtain £154 by deception from Legal & General Insurance Ltd on July 19 last year, by making a false claim that a set of golf clubs had been stolen in a burglary at her home in Curlew Drive, Scarborough, and that a replacement set had been bought for that sum.

The allegation centred on a letter she sent to her insurers with a receipt for a new mountain bike, which she bought to replace one stolen in the burglary, and a receipt given to her by police colleague PC Andrew Standing for golf clubs he had bought for himself. The letter said she had bought the clubs at Snainton Golf Centre as replacements for those stolen, and that PC Standing paid on his credit card and she reimbursed him.

When asked about the letter she told the court: "I've been naive, I have been stupid, I have been dizzy, but I have not been dishonest."

She insisted she had become "muddled" after her insurers at first said she could not claim for golf equipment and then said she could. She said they had repeatedly telephoned her and she was just keen to get the money for her bike.

The court had been told that at the time Miss Lacy had been serving as part of a riot squad during unrest in Bradford.

Earlier in the trial, former housemate Nicola Howarth, a Scarborough Police civilian worker, told the court she overheard Miss Lacy on the phone to her insurers saying a set of golf clubs were stolen from her. She claimed that, when she challenged her, Lacy said she was claiming for a full set though only one club had been stolen.

But Mr Bradshaw told Ms Howarth during cross examination that she was a "vindictive" woman, who had made up the allegations after falling out with Miss Lacy.

Updated: 11:44 Thursday, August 01, 2002