A CARE worker from Barnoldswick cried with relief after being cleared of attacking an 80-year-old pensioner.

The 12-day re-trial ended when the jury failed to reach a decision after five-and-a-half hours of deliberation.

Jacqueline Wright, 43, had always denied the two charges of assaulting Betty Sunderland at her home in Cullingworth.

As Mrs Wright walked free from the dock she kissed her barrister and wept with joy.

Mrs Wright had been part of a 24-hour care team from Keighley-based firm Dalesway Nursing who was looking after the elderly woman.

Mrs Sunderland, who died last year of Parkinson's Disease, told police how in 1997, Mrs Wright had stuffed toilet paper in her mouth, tried to snatch her false teeth and had beaten her with a metal ruler. But the jury heard how Mrs Sunderland also had a history of lying about her carers to get them into trouble.

The re-trial finally ended at Doncaster Crown Court when the jury foreman said that a verdict had not been reached even after being offered the option of a 10-2 majority.

Judge Linda Sutcliffe dismissed the jury and thanked them for their consideration.

Prosecution barrister Andrea Addleman told the court how the Crown Prosecution Service would not be requesting a third trial and the judge returned a not guilty verdict.

The re-trial was ordered after a jury failed to reach verdict on the charges after a trial at Bradford Crown Court last December. Then she was acquitted of one other charge of assault.

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