A pro-Tibet protestor who attempted to extinguish the Olympic torch as it passed through west London has accused officials of trying to make an example of him.

Throwing out the case t West London magistrates Court, District Judge Andrew Sweet ruled Martin Wyness did not cause harassment, alarm or distress, raising questions over why the Crown Prosecution Service pressed charges against the veteran protestor.

"I'm the only person across the world who protested against the torch relay to be prosecuted," said the 50-year-old. "The CPS obviously tried to make an example of me and sadly for them it failed. I'm delighted that common sense has prevailed."

Mr Wyness also hit out at perceived efforts by the Government to curtail public protest linking the charges brought against him to broader efforts to restrict demonstrations in Parliament Square.

Mr Wyness, who was wearing a high visibility jacket and carrying a fire extinguisher, but was bundled to the floor by a dozen police officers before he could douse the flame on April 6. Television footage shows a sudden burst foam near the torch, as it was being passed between two of the carriers.

"As the torch approached my heart started to pound," he said. "The adreneline was really going because you just don't know what's going to happen next especially with the Chinese security 'goons' in blue jackets. But I didn't get near them, our dear old British police knocked me to the floor pretty quickly."

Mr Wyness, who was awarded s300 in court costs at the September 22 hearing, added: "The best thing to come out of this that the issue of China's appalling human rights abuses in Tibet is back in the headlines."

A CPS spokesman said: "We brought charges based on the available evidence. As with all cases we did so in the public interest."