Claire Moroney was found not guilty of sexual assault after a week-long trial at Burnley Crown Court.

The defendant (36), of Barrowford Road, Colne, who had denied the allegation, was discharged from the dock by Judge Heather Lloyd.

The jury of seven women and five men had heard claims the alleged victim was awoken in her bed by the defendant performing a sex act on her.

She claimed she saw Moroney's husband John was also in the bedroom. The woman said her partner had ordered the Moroneys, who they had met up with in a pub and then invited back to their home, out of the house.

The court was told the four had all been drinking and cannabis had been passed around.

When Moroney was later interviewed by police, she told officers the woman had invited her into her bed, any sexual contact with consensual, but the alleged victim had then "just freaked out."

Giving evidence, Moroney told the jury she was "gobsmacked" when police arrived at her home two days later and arrested her. She said: "I thought it was all a joke.

"When I was being interviewed, I thought someone was going to walk in and say 'Got You!'."