A senior British police officer, accused of having sex with a woman at Gatwick airport whilst on duty earlier this year, was cleared yesterday of criminal misconduct.

Inspector Masood Khan, 41, who works for British Transport Police, was accused of meeting the woman in a room at the airport?s railway station in July 2006.

Media reports said the Inspector had encountered the 43-year-old woman through an Internet dating Web site, uniformdating.com, and had believed he would be off-duty when he arranged to meet her.

He had kept his earpiece in during the 20-minute rendezvous so he would be in radio contact with his colleagues in case of emergencies, the reports added.

?It was absolutely the wrong thing to do, morally and professionally. I should never have done it?, he told Southwark Crown Court.

The jury found him not guilty of misconduct in public office but Khan?s bosses will now decide whether he should face disciplinary action.