A former Big Brother contestant accused of stealing a policeman's baton during an anti-war demonstration has walked free from court after the case against her collapsed.

Leytonstone resident and campaigner Carole Vincent was alleged to have swiped the a baton a police officer had dropped on the corner of Parliament Square and Whitehall in central London.

But 14 months later, after two magistrates' court appearances and three crown court appearances, the case was thrown out at Southwark Crown Court today after the Crown Prosecution Service said it could not prove the baton had been taken dishonestly.

The 55-year-old, who was a contestant on Channel Four's Big Brother show two years ago, said: “I am very relieved.

"It has been a terrible thing to have hanging over me, particularly when seeking youth work because I have had disclose this on applications for more than a year and haven't had any interviews.

“It has taken 14 months to get to this, despite two judges saying it was waste of public money.

"But eventually the prosecution admitted it couldn't prove I had been dishonest so I have been found not-guilty.”

The former foster carer, who unsuccessfully ran as a Leyton ward council candidate for MP George Galloway's Respect Party, was among 2,500 anti-war protesters in Parliament Square on June 15 last year.

She was demonstrating alongside Bianca Jagger, Tony Benn and Kate Hudson against US president George Bush, who was visiting Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the time.

Tony Benn accompanied Ms Vincent to Southwark Crown Court today, where he was due to be a witness in the trial that was scheduled to last five days.

Ms Vincent was initially arrested and charged with theft of a police baton and violent mis-conduct, however, the latter charge was later dropped before the trial.