A 42-year-old man has been cleared of a tyre slashing spree in a Ribble Valley village.

Martin Charles Borthwick faced 19 charges of criminal damage following attacks on cars, including two belonging to his ex-girlfriend, parked in Chatburn on the night of December 10.

But a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to convict him.

"There is no evidence to link the accused with 18 of these charges and the evidence that does link him with the other is tenuous," said District Judge Victoria Rose.

Borthwick, of Mayfield Grove, Langeaten, Nottingham, pleaded not guilty to all charges and was acquitted on all 19.

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said Borthwick got involved in a relationship with Karen Evans via the internet in June of last year. They met up in August and he moved in with her in Ribblesdale View, Chatburn, in September.

On November 1 Ms Evans moved out and told Borthwick their relationship was over.

Ms Evans told the court that following the breakdown of the relationship Borthwick became aggressive and threatening.

He told her to "watch her back" and said he was going to kill her, the prosecution alleged.

On December 10 Ms Evans got home from work and parked outside her new home in Pendle Avenue.

The following morning all the tyres on both her cars had been slashed with a knife. The same night other cars had tyres slashed.

Andrew Lancaster, of Chatburn, told the court he was walking his dog at about 10.30pm when he turned into Pendle Avenue. He heard a hissing noise and was then startled when a man stood up from beside the front of a car.

He later identified the man as Borthwick but told the court he did not see any implement in his hand.

Borthwick told the court that on the night of the incidents he had been extremely drunk after drinking at home before visiting the Brown Cow and Black Bull pubs in the village.

Basharat Ditta, defending, said: "The inference is that because he was allegedly seen by the car mentioned in charge 13 he is responsible for all the others," said Mr Ditta.

"The inferences being drawn by the prosecution are not borne out by the evidence."