A cuckolded husband has hailed a victory for "free speech and the small man" as he was cleared of harassing his wife's millionaire lover over the internet.

Plumber Ian Puddick, 41, tweeted, blogged and posted videos online after being enraged by his spouse's 10-year relationship with City director Timothy Haynes.

Mr Puddick said he would concentrate on getting his married life on track after District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe dismissed harassment charges at the end of a three-day trial at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Flanked by wife Leena, he said: "I am just absolutely relieved. It's a relief for everybody."

Mr Puddick shook his fist and smiled amid cheers from the public gallery as two not guilty verdicts for internet harassment were returned.

After giving his wife a kiss, he said: "For the last 12 months this has taken over my life. Purely and simply there has been an abuse of power.

"It this can happen to me it can happen to anyone.

"It is absolutely a victory for free speech and the small man. I'm a plumber and drive around in a Transit."

He set up a string of websites and confronted Mr Haynes after finding out about the affair by reading a text message on her phone. He also discovered photographs of Mr Haynes performing sex acts in May 2009.

Mr Haynes, from Billingshurst, West Sussex, admitted he had been deceitful but said Mr Puddick should have taken up his anger with him alone.