A GYMNASTICS club chairman, found guilty of causing criminal damage last year, has had the verdict overturned. But the quashing of the conviction came a month too late for the career hopes of 33-year-old Paul Schofield. Paul, of Pedder Street, Bolton, said: "I have never even received so much as a parking ticket before this."

He says he was turned down for a job with a Home Office connection at the last minute due to his "police record".

The job was initially offered to him but it was withdrawn when he failed to get security clearance.

Paul, who had always denied causing criminal damage, now says he can finally put the past 10 months behind him.

Row

The charges were brought following a bitter row between the gymnastics club and its former landlord.

Paul was charged with slashing the tyres of a car belonging to Mr Roy Lever, whose wife Julie was then the club's landlord.

However, he always denied the allegation and produced numerous witnesses in court.

When found guilty several months ago, he was given a conditional discharge, and ordered to pay £162.20 compensation and £200 costs. At that time he told the BEN: "I am disgusted that not only myself, but this number of witnesses, have all been treated as liars."

Last week, the case went to the appeal court, and the original verdict was overturned.

He said: "It is good that the truth has come out in the end but the damage has been done in the meantime, while I have been waiting.

"I have never been in trouble with the police previously. I have never even received so much as a parking ticket before this.

"This has been ongoing since June 1998 and it has been a horrendous time. People do not realise what effect something like this can have on a person.

"It goes beyond the psychological damage caused. I lost a good job as a consequence.

"It felt as though everything was caving in on me. I would hate anyone else to go through it."

Support

Parents of youngsters who attend the gymnastics club maintained their support for Paul, and he added: "They were phenomenal. I would like to thank everyone who supported me - all my friends and colleagues who knew me and equally knew that I would never have done anything like I was accused of."

The club now operates from Harrowby Street, Farnworth. Paul said: "Since the conviction, I found I lost a lot of motivation as far as the club was concerned. It has been something I have done voluntarily, and yet all of a sudden because of my connection with it, I found myself with a criminal record.

"Now I feel so much more motivated and am ready to move on with my life."

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