A CASE against a man accused of retaining nearly £1,500 in wrongful credit has been dropped for lack of evidence.

Christopher Smith, aged 34, of Evesham Road, Upper Moor, near Pershore, walked free from Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday.

He had been accused of dishonestly failing to cancel three payments totalling £14,800 wrongfully made into an account either held by him or in which he had an interest.

He faced three counts of retaining a wrongful credit when he appeared before his honour Judge Robert Juckes QC.

The incidents were alleged to have taken place last year on Tuesday, August 16, Wednesday, August 17 and Friday, August 19, in Worcester.

Before he could formally enter a plea on Wednesday, the prosecutor Simon Cooper said the Crown intended to discontinue the case.

He told the judge: "This is to notify the court of the proposal to discontinue the proceedings against him."

When asked if he could give further details as to why this had happened, Mr Cooper told Judge Juckes: "I would rather not. We have written to the court and there is insufficient evidence to form a realistic prospect of conviction in this case."

Judge Juckes said this was 'unusual' but said it was an 'exceptional case'.