A MARRIED police officer has been found not guilty of murdering his long-term lover.

Killer Timothy Brehmer, 41, of Hordle, New Forest, was accused of strangling nurse Claire Parry to death at the Horns Inn pub car park in West Parley on May 9.

Brehmer, a Dorset Police officer, admitted causing the death of Mrs Parry but denied murder.

After two hours and 50 minutes of deliberations, an 11-person jury found him unanimously not guilty following a trial at Salisbury Crown Court.

Brehmer will be sentenced for manslaughter at 2.30pm this afternoon.