A former Tory aide today slammed the police and CPS for pursuing a 15-month prosecution for sexual assault against while ignoring key evidence.

Richard Holden, 33, said prosecutors failed to provide offer witnesses who saw him do anything wrong and even seemed confused about what he was accused of doing.

And he said the Metropolitan Police failed to interview or take statements from witnesses who denied the alleged assault ever took place.

He accused the force of 'comprehensively' failing to investigate the case, forcing his defence team to gather basic evidence.

Mr Holden, who in 2017 was a special adviser to then defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon, was cleared by a jury in May after just 30 minutes of deliberation.

Ex-Tory aide Richard Holden (pictured outside court last year) today slammed the police and CPS for pursuing a 15-month prosecution against him while ignoring key evidence

Despite the failure of the authorities to build a case against him, Mr Holden lost two jobs and ran up legal bills of thousands of pounds to clear his name.

The case is the latest in a string sexual offence charges brought by the Crown Prosecution Service that have collapsed or ended in the accused being cleared.

Writing on the Conservative Home website, Mr Holden said 'I still want my life back' after the judge said he left court 'without a stain on his character'.

Charges were brought followed a claim he put his hand up a woman's skirt as he drunkenly hugged her goodbye after a Christmas party.

At the centre of the case was the woman's phone which Mr Holden claimed contained evidence of how she 'liked' photos of the party.

Mr Holden (pictured with his girlfriend Charlotte after he was cleared) said the Metropolitan Police failed to interview or taken statements from witnesses who denied the alleged assault ever took place

He said she also sent messages to friends saying she 'had a great night' and 'thanks for the invite to the party'.

But the woman refused to hand it over claiming it was 'private' - only for all the information on it to have disappeared when it was examined 13 months later.

Mr Holden also accused Scotland Yard of sifting out witnesses who did not back up the evidence of his accuser.

As a result of this 'pre-interview interviewing' he was left to take his own statements to build a defence case.

And he said investigators initially claimed a tape recording of another interview did not exist only for transcripts to appear days later.

Once he appeared at Southwark Crown Court, he said prosecutors appeared confused about what offence he had committed.

Mr Holden said the judge intervened to insist he is accused of something and a key witness, flown in from abroad, failed to back up the prosecution version of events.

He added: 'But I still want my life back. I want my career back, too. I spent my life volunteering and later working for the Conservative Party and working in government.

Mr Holden, who in 2017 was a special adviser to then defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon, was cleared by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in May after just 30 minutes of deliberation

'That part of my life has been stalled for over a year and I hope that I am, once again, able to serve my party and the country I love.

'Last week, my suspension from the candidates list, due to the trial, was lifted - at the first opportunity - and I hope that's a sign of things to come.'

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'A full investigation was carried out into what was a serious allegation. No evidence was withheld.

'We are content with the investigation and our disclosure work, which was conducted in liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service.

'During the course of the hearing there was no adverse comment from the Judge about the police investigation.'

A CPS spokesman said: 'This case was charged in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and proceeded to trial.

'The case was left for the jury to decide and we respect their decision.'