FORMER Wirral licensee Peter Craddock has been cleared of raping a 35-year-old woman after a christening party for a Brookside star.

Mr Craddock was also acquitted of attempting to rape and indecently assaulting a 35-year-old woman three months earlier.

A Liverpool Crown Court jury returned its final verdict after five hours' deliberation.

The 48-year-old former landlord of Old Mother Redcaps in Victoria Road, New Brighton, denied all the charges.

During a six-day trial it was alleged that Mr Craddock sexually molested both women in the same function room at his pub.

In the first incident it was claimed Mr Craddock bit the 31-year-old woman on the breast, leaving her scarred, and tried to rape her.

It was further alleged that on June 8 last year Mr Craddock raped the 35-year-old woman after a christening party for guests of Brookside star, Louis Emerick, who plays character Mick Johnson in the Channel 4 soap.

The Brookside fan said she went to the function, at which she spoke to Peter Christian, who used to play Frank Rogers in the series, following a general invitation from Mr Craddock to her and other women she was with about a week before.

She claimed that after the party had finished a drunken Mr Craddock, who had been the DJ, forced her to the floor and raped her after pouring Cointreau over her chest and face.

Mr Craddock, of Egremont Parade, Wallasey, told the court the first incident never happened.

He said although he had sex with the other woman it had been at her instigation and with her consent.

Mr Craddock said that after having sex with her she asked if they could go back to his home, but 'she went cold' when he told her he lived with his long-standing girlfriend.

She said she was going home and he rolled over and fell asleep. The next he knew the room was full of police and he was arrested for rape, he said.

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