A MAN who had been accused of ripping off Southampton women he befriended through newspaper lonely hearts adverts has been cleared of deception allegations.

Philip Tovey had been arrested following a long-running investigation by detectives from Shirley CID.

The 40-year-old had denied charges of obtaining property by deception and obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.

He had asked for the case to be heard at Southampton Crown Court and had been due to be committed there for trial last week.

But now the Daily Echo can reveal Mr Tovey has been formally cleared of both matters after the case was discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Melanie Pliskin, head of the CPS's Southampton and New Forest criminal justice unit, confirmed the prosecution had been dropped on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

A spokesman for Shirley CID said the police investigation was now effectively closed.

It is understood Mr Tovey, of Chatham Road, Salisbury, has been informed of the decision by letter and did not have to attend last week's court hearing.

Formerly from the Lordshill area of Southampton, he had been arrested following a Daily Echo article in May.

Detectives had taken the rare step of naming Mr Tovey as the man they wanted to trace in connection with alleged deception offences.

The appeal came after a number of women in the Southampton area contacted police about a man they had met through newspaper dating columns.