A RELIGIOUS teacher has been cleared following his arrest on suspicion of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Ashraf Sidat, 45, from Blackburn, was arrested on Thursday, January 11 after he was stopped in the street by members of Justice Will Be Served, a self-styled vigilante group who passed information to police.

However, a spokesman for Greater Manchester police said the Crown Prosecution Service had made the decision to clear Mr Sidat.

She said: "The decision has been made to take no further action.

"The suspect is no longer on bail."

Speaking for the first time since his arrest, Mr Sidat said the experience has been very difficult for him.

He said: “The reaction on social media really affected me.

“There was a great deal of mental anguish, anxiety and uncertainty at the time of the arrest. I do feel it was wrong for the public to be judging me without knowing what the true nature of the incident was.

“This exoneration will allow me to hold my head up with integrity.”

In a full interview with the Lancashire Telegraph he said the whole experience had been harrowing.