A City worker has walked free from court after being cleared of drunkenly trying to kiss a reality TV star on the Tube.
Thomas Ledward, 26, admitted "annoying" the married woman when he saw her taking the District Line home late at night, trying to strike up a conversation and taking a selfie of them together.
The TV star, known to millions, claimed Ledward leaned down towards her and tried to plant a kiss, but was stopped because she kicked and pushed him to the ground.
However, Ledward, an accounts worker who had drunk eight to nine pints during a night out with City colleagues, told Blackfriars crown court it was a misunderstanding.
He told jurors he had stumbled over as he got up to leave the train, falling towards the woman's lap and putting his hands out to stop himself.
"I was on the Tube on my way home, I do try to talk to people on the Tube, and that's literally all I did", he said.
"I thought I was being a lot more nice but clearly (she) was quite upset about the way that I acted. I apologise for that.
"But in no way did I try to kiss her."
Ledward said he may have touched the woman's shoulder as he sought to get to his feet again, but insisted he had not grabbed her fur-lined cape or put his thumbs to her neck.
The judge threw out a charge of sexual assault after hearing the woman's evidence, and the jury found Ledward not guilty of attempted sexual assault at the end of the trial yesterday.
It can now be reported that Ledward twice tried to plead guilty to lesser offences over the incident on February 24 last year.
He offered a guilty plea to common assault when he first appeared in court in December, but the prosecution rejected the deal and pushed ahead with a sexual assault charge.
On the eve of trial, Ledward said he would admit a public order offence, of causing intentional harassment, alarm and distress to the woman, on a "full facts basis".
However, legal teams agreed that a charge of sexual assault could not be reduced to a public order offence and the pressed ahead with the trial.
Ledward, who lives in Stepney Green, denied sexual assault and an alternative charge of attempted sexual assault.
He was supported through the trial by his parents.
