British DJ Neil Fox has been found not guilty of all the indecent and sexual assault charges against him.

The former Pop Idol judge had always denied the nine allegations which related to six women who had come forward to make complaints against him. 

He broke down in tears as the verdict was read out and his wife hugged friends in the public gallery.

Speaking outside the court, his voice cracking, he thanked his wife, friends and former colleagues for standing by him.

The charges against the DJ included allegations from former young fans and ex colleagues - their allegations spanned 1988 through to 2014.

The star, who is now 54 years old, was accused of forcibly kissing two teenage fans, aged 14 and 15, in the 1990s.

One woman, who was 15 at the time, claimed Neil Fox forced his tongue down her throat when she met the star at a radio roadshow at Chessington World of Adventures.

Former colleagues also accused him of crossing the line while working at radio stations. 

Giving evidence in his defence earlier this month Fox told the court he encouraged "non-stop banter" on his radio shows but he denied ever acting inappropriately.

In evidence he said: "It was normal office banter, some saucy, cheeky, slightly over the top, some boring and mundane, like 'did your Ocado arrive last night'?

"It was all in short bursts. There was lots of horseplay in a fun way, piggyback rides, pinches, squeezing - general banter. I hate that word because it has been used over the last couple of weeks, but there was chit-chat, banter."

The DJ who began his career in local radio went on to host the Pepsi chart show for many years before becoming a judge on Pop Idol alongside Simon Cowell, Nikki Chapman and Pete Waterman.

Fox, who lives in Fulham, west London, with his wife and three children has been off air since his initial arrest.