A FORMER Herefordshire detective has been cleared of sexually assaulting and attempting to kidnap a 13-year-old girl.

The jury of seven women and four men today took less than two hours to unanimously find Geoffrey Alan Gough not guilty of one charge of sexual activity with a child.

Judge Martin Picton had previously directed the jury to record a not guilty verdict for the other charge of attempted kidnap earlier in the trial.

Mr Gough, of Spring Gardens, Malvern, said he had merely tried to help two drunk teenage girls by giving them a lift home.

The 54-year-old, a former detective sergeant with Hereford CID who has now retired, had been in Wetherspoons on April 12, 2007, before the pair started chatting to him as he walked to his vehicle on Commercial Road.

He said they took him by surprise by getting into his car as he unlocked his Saab electronically.

The older of the two girls, who was 17, told Mr Gough she lived in Newton Farm and said her friend was staying at her house, Gloucester Crown Court was told.

Mr Gough said he therefore drove them to the Tesco store in Belmont at 10pm.

He admitted it was, with hindsight, foolish to drive off with the girls, but told the jury their safety was his main concern.

"I am an old fashioned copper and I tried to do the best thing for the girls by getting them off the street and back home," he told the jury.

Mr Gough said on reaching Tesco he gave the older girl money to buy her 13-year-old friend water as she was feeling sick.

It was at this point Gough put his hand down the 13-year-old's underwear, Ms Elder, prosecuting, had claimed.

The 17-year-old asked three Welsh men in the car park to buy her alcohol with Mr Gough's money but when they refused she asked them to help get her friend away from an old man.

Mr Gough drove off alone when the men challenged him, the court was told, and they decided to dial 999.

However, a Ministry of Defence (MOD) van called into Tesco before the call was made and the men flagged down the vehicle and passed on Mr Gough's car details to the MOD officers.

The jury heard the two girls fled when they saw the police as the younger girl was in breach of a court order.

But she was soon arrested when she returned to Tesco and began causing trouble with her friend at a till.

The jury watched a police interview with the younger girl when she denied being assaulted and made no mention of getting a lift with an older stranger.

The 13-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, changed her story and said Mr Gough touched her in a later interview after her friend had made the allegations against Gough to police officers.

Martin Steen, defending, said the way the complaint was made was fraught with danger.

He said both girls were unreliable witnesses who constantly lied and had a troubled history with the police.

Mr Steen also claimed the girls had been allowed to conclude and check their stories in between their police interviews.

He added that Mr Gough was a man with who had served the police force for 30 years, had been commended by the chief constable and had never experienced any disciplinary problems.

Mr Gough, a married father-of-two, had suffered terribly since the false allegations were made 18 months ago, Mr Steen added.

Speaking outside the court, Mr Gough said he was very relieved it was finally all over.

"It has been a nightmare," he told reporters.

He also thanked his wife for all her help.