A former nurse at Menston's High Royds Hospital has spoken of his ordeal after being cleared of rape and indecent assault charges involving three psychiatric patients.

Helen Brittain bowed her head and cried with relief as the Leeds Crown Court jury foreman returned not guilty verdicts on all nine charges facing her husband Mark, who later said it had been a "frightening experience".

The verdict yesterday followed eight hours 29 minutes of deliberation after the jury listened to five days evidence.

Mr Brittain, 36, had denied two charges of rape and seven of indecent assault which the prosecution alleged took place at the hospital in 1997 and involved three female patients.

After being cleared, he said: "We are just happy the ordeal is over - it has been very, very hard for me and my family.

"It has been a frightening experience knowing that, if I had not been cleared, the judge could have sent me to prison for a very long time."

He added: "The serious allegations which have been made against me have been deeply distressing.

"I have always protested that I was totally innocent of the allegations. I was drawn into the field of psychiatric nursing because I felt I could contribute and help people and I have devoted 15 years of my life to my profession.

"In spite of the things which have been said against me, I have been greatly comforted by the support from colleagues inside and outside the profession which, together with that displayed by my family, has been truly wonderful."

During the trial the three women, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told how they had been admitted to the hospital at different times and had met Mr Brittain, who was a staff nurse there.

Two of them alleged they were raped and indecently assaulted and a third alleged indecent assault by him.

The court heard how one of the three had appeared in court on arson attacks and was the subject of a hospital order.

She had also alleged in 1996 that she had been raped by someone at a bail hostel.

Another of the women said she had been the victim in a previous, unconnected rape trial which had ended in a defendant's acquittal.

Mother of three Mrs Brittain, a 35-year-old hospital pharmacy technician, said before the verdict: "It has turned our year upside down since he was arrested last November. You can only keep saying he didn't do it."

She said she and her husband, who had previously served in the RAF, met after they both started work at High Royds.

Mike Doyle, acting chief executive of Leeds Community and Mental Health Services Trust which runs High Royds, said: "The man has been tried and acquitted. He has been through the due process of law and there is no other comment we can make on the matter."

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