A FORMER karate instructor spoke last night of his relief, and sadness, after being cleared of molesting two of his pupils.

Brian Matthewman was accused of indecently assaulting the girls in the Nineties when he held classes on Teesside.

He was yesterday cleared of every charge he faced after a Teesside Crown Court jury deliberated for more than five hours.

Following the verdicts, he told how the allegations put a strain on his recent marriage and the impending birth of his son.

Mr Matthewman also revealed he had given up teaching martial arts – “his life” – as a result of the girls’ claims.

“My wife and I have been through a hell of a lot in the past 14 months,” said the 40- year-old, from Eaglescliffe, near Stockton.

“We now just want to be able to get on with our lives and be the best parents we possibly can to our baby son.”

Mr Matthewman’s wife, Zoe, who gave birth in December, said the looming court case made the pregnancy more difficult.

During the trial, the jury heard that the one-time titlewinner won an award in 1996 for being the best instructor in the country.

He told the court he trained at least 15 British champions during his coaching career.

“Martial arts was my life and it is saddening that I can no longer teach,” he said. “It just completely knocks your confidence.”

Mr Matthewman, who works as a health and safety consultant for a firm in Billingham, faced five indecent assault charges.

He was accused of being a power-crazy predator, but told the jury the claims were “a load of rubbish”.

The court heard that he was arrested in 2003 after a pupil claimed she had been fondled, but the charges were not pursued.

Posters branding him a paedophile were then put up close to where he was teaching in Yarm. He told the jury the hate campaign upset him and his then-girlfriend contacted the police.

Mr Matthewman was arrested again in January last year after another former karate student made allegations against him.

The jury yesterday decided that Mr Matthewman of Amberley Way, Eaglescliffe, should leave court with his reputation intact.