But yesterday he was celebrating 'a victory for common sense' after the case was dropped.

Mr Mcalpine said: 'It was a ridiculous charge and I should never have been arrested in the first place.'

On April 20 Mr Mcalpine was talking to shoppers and handing out leaflets in Workington, in Cumbria.

Hewas allegedly warned he was committing an offence by PCSO Sam Adams - his force's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender liaison officer - who said there had been complaints .

After an exchange in which Mr Mcalpine said that 'the Bible says homosexuality is a crime against the Creator, but it was not against the law to say this', the officer called for assistance and Mr Mcalpine was arrested.

Mr Mcalpine, who works in the energy industry, said he told the officers that while he was not homophobic, he did believe homosexuality was a sin and there was no law against saying so.

He had his fingerprints, a retina scan and a DNA swab taken, and was placed in a cell for seven hours before being charged with causing harassment, alarm or distress contrary to the Public Order Act 1986.

He appeared before magistrates in the town the following week where he pleaded not guilty to the charge and vowed to fight it.

Yesterday the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charge.

Chief Superintendent Steve Johnson, of Cumbria Police, said: 'Our officers and staff often have to make difficult decisions while balancing the law and people's rights. This is not easy especially when opinions and interpretations differ.

'We would like to reassure the public that we respect, and are committed to upholding, the fundamental right to freedom of expression.

'We are just as committed to maintaining the peace and preventing people feeling alarmed or distressed by the actions of others in public places. The Crown Prosecution Service has carefully assessed the evidence in the case and has decided to discontinue the prosecution of Mr McAlpine.'

Mr Mcalpine - who has delivered street sermons and handed out leaflets in Workington for years without trouble - said the incident was one of the worst moments of his life but said he would be out preaching as usual at the weekend.

A spokesman for the Emmanuel Evangelical Church, where Mr McAlpine worships, said: 'It is great news for Dale. He is a happy man and now he can get back to doing what he loves, speaking the word of God.'

Mike Judge, a spokesman for the Christian Institute, said: 'There is obviously a problem of misinterpretation of the law here. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and no British citizen should be arrested for expressing their view.'

The Public Order Act 1986 has been used by the police in a number of similar cases, including that of Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang, the Christian hoteliers cleared earlier this year of insulting a Muslim guest at their Liverpool hotel.

END