No action over John Leslie rape allegation

LONDON (Reuters) - No action will be taken against former TV presenter John Leslie over an allegation of rape made against him, his lawyers said on Wednesday.

Police had launched an investigation after receiving a complaint about an alleged sexual assault and rape of a woman in November 1995.

The allegation came to light last month when Leslie was arrested after voluntarily going to Teddington police station in west London to answer questions.

He told media at the time that the allegation was "completely untrue" and on Wednesday his lawyers confirmed the case had now been dropped.

"Yet again, after a complete and thorough investigation, it has been confirmed that there is no truth or substance to the damaging allegations that were made against our client last month," his law firm said in a statement.

"He is of course delighted. The complaint was ridiculous, but yet again and for a second time his name has been dragged through the mud before the law has had a chance to confirm his innocence."

Leslie, 43, a former presenter of ITV's This Morning and BBC's Blue Peter, was cleared in 2003 of two indecent assaults on a women claimed to have taken place in 1997.

But coverage of the case destroyed his media career and he has worked since as a property developer.

In his statement last month, Leslie said he did not even know the woman who had made the complaint.