A KIRKLEES councillor today spoke of his relief after being told he would face no action over assault allegations.

Mohammed Sarwar talked for the first time about the two-month ordeal that followed damaging accusations he attacked and injured a woman.

Talking yesterday about his summer of hell a clearly relieved Clr Sarwar revealed he was determined to get to the truth.

The allegations eventually crumbled last week when police told him the matter would not be pursued any further.

Accompanied by his friend and deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Clr John Smithson, Clr Sarwar said it was almost impossible to describe his worry over the past eight weeks, adding: "I cannot express any of these feelings."

Such has been his confusion and stress, council matters have had to take a back seat.

"There was so much pressure on my mind," he said.

"I was thinking `I don't even know anything about this incident. How come I have been blamed for these things?'

It was a totally false allegation against me," said Clr Sarwar.

He was arrested following the alleged incident in Lockwood on July 4, in which a woman was injured.

Clr Sarwar is adamant he was working in his shop at Dewsbury at the time.

The 44-year-old father-of-six, who represents the Crosland Moor ward, was arrested by three detectives in plain clothes as he left a council meeting at Dewsbury Town Hall late in the evening on July 12.

His experience of being in a cell was understandably terrifying.

"That was my first such experience and I hope it will be my last," he said.

He was taken to Huddersfield police station and held in a cell, until being interviewed at about 4am.

He said the support he had received from family, friends, councillors from across the parties and the wider community since that dreadful day had been overwhelming.

"Nobody believed the accusation," he added.

He is now committed to get to the heart of the allegation.

"A woman was injured and I want to know the truth. I will request a police investigation and find out who did it and why."

Although he fears damage has been done to his reputation, the councillor is sure he will eventually be utterly vindicated.

Clr Sarwar added that he abhorred violence.

"I'm a liberal by heart. I'm a liberal person. I'm generous, open-hearted and I never killed a fly in my life," he said.

Clr Smithson backed his words, saying: "We were always confident he had no part in any alleged incident. We are very pleased our confidence has been totally justified.

"We never believed that any of this alleged assault was possible. It was unthinkable he could have been involved in anything of that sort."

Clr Smithson said the whole party was affected. He said: "It was a very traumatic experience and very upsetting for us."

"We strongly suspect political motives," added Clr Smithson of the affair.

"If it is a politically-motivated thing, it certainly is the most vicious form of attack," he said.

Clr Sarwar was first elected to Kirklees in 1999 and has been re-elected twice.