A court martial in Aldershot acquitted 41-year-old Captain Richard Landall after a panel of five senior officers found him not guilty of four counts of indecent assault.

The father-of-four, who became tearful outside the hearing, said: "I thank God that justice has been done.

"Just why these accusations were made I will never fully know. This has been an impossibly difficult time not only for myself but also for my children, my family and friends."

An Army spokesman said the padre could now resume his career in the services but added any future posting was yet to be determined.

During the court martial, Captain Landall was portrayed as a man who was "one of the lads", and enjoyed making sexist remarks about soldier's wives.

He was accused of wolf whistling at women.

Denied allegations

But the father-of-four denied the allegations and said the sexual assault charges were "fabrication and lies".

The alleged victim, a soldier's wife, was a "woman scorned" who had concocted the story after he had rejected her advances, Captain Landall told the hearing.

Captain Landall, an army chaplain since 1992, told the court martial his job was the most important thing in his life.

"It is like cutting my oxygen off," he said. "I would never jeopardise my job or my vocation in any way, shape or form."