A social club president who had been accused of pilfering thousands of pounds from the coffers today spoke of his relief after the charges were dropped.

Stephen Cawson, 44, of Cobden Street, Allerton, says he endured a year of misery after being stripped of his post as president of Allerton Catholic Club. He always maintained he was innocent of the charges that he had stolen £4,600 from the club in September and October, 1998.

The case was due to be committed for crown court trial, but all the allegations against him were discharged by Bradford magistrates after they were told the case had been discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Now Mr Cawson, known as Brandon to his friends, is demanding compensation from the club, which he served as an official for 20 years.

"Angry is not the word to describe how I feel," said Mr Cawson. "I'm a high-profile member of the local community and my name has been blackened in Allerton and Thornton. People have snubbed me. Some people cross to the other side of the road and ignore me. The majority of people just don't speak to me any more. It's a great relief that the charges have been dropped because I knew I was innocent all along. There was no evidence against me. It was all hearsay.''

Mr Cawson says his parents Colin, 77, and Stella, 69, who live with him in his terrace home, were tormented with worry over his case.

"They were living in fear of being thrown out on the streets because there would be no way they could pay the mortgage," he said.

The nightmare began in January 1999 when he returned home with his parents from a five-week stay with relatives in Canada and received a letter saying he had been suspended.

More than £9,000 had been found to be missing from club funds. Mr Cawson claims he was then expelled from the club for life for gross misconduct and a notice was posted in the club to that effect.

He was first questioned by police about the allegations of theft in May and charged on September 27. His solicitor, Fraser Tordoff, said he would be writing to the club, asking for him to be reinstated as a member. He also believes his client is entitled to compensation for what he was been put through. Richard Haigh, the club's current secretary, said it was disappointing to hear the case had been dropped. He felt it was unlikely that Mr Cawson would be invited to rejoin the club.

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