The family of the Scots butcher whose shop was linked to a major E coli outbreak wept with joy yesterday as he left court after the case against him collapsed dramatically.
Mr John Barr was stunned as he walked from the dock to be surrounded by members of his family, who hugged and kissed him.
The drama unfolded when Sheriff Alexander Macpherson ruled Mr Barr was not guilty because of a lack of corroborative evidence.
After taking some 30 minutes to consider submissions by Mr Barr's defence solicitor, Mr George Moore, the sheriff returned his verdict to the jury of 10 men and five women.
Mr Barr's family cheered with relief as the former Scottish Butcher of the Year was declared not guilty.
He had been accused of culpably, wilfully and recklessly supplying cooked meats the day after environmental health officials told him not to.
It was alleged he had supplied a customer with 100 slices each of baked ham, roast beef and cooked turkey, knowing they were to be eaten at a function at the Cascade Bar in Lanarkshire. As a consequence of him supplying the meat, the charge alleged, several people who ate the meat suffered E coli 0157 food-poisoning.
The Liberal Democrats legal affairs spokesman, Mr Menzies Campbell QC, demanded an immediate inquiry into the trial's outcome.
He said: "The absence of corroboration, which is fatal in a Scottish criminal trial, should surely have been obvious before now. A great deal of public money has been spent to no avail. The Lord Advocate should institute an immediate inquiry into this case and its result."
After Mr Barr left Hamilton Sheriff Court by a back entrance, his solicitor said he was pleased with the outcome for both Mr Barr and his family.
"The full inquiry in the new year will raise further considerations. Until then I cannot comment any further," said Mr Moore.
Mr Barr, with his wife and son, is still facing charges alleging contraventions of food safety laws.