A prison officer accused of chucking acid at a love rival and lunging at him with a knife has been cleared of all charges.

Mark Bosch was accused of lying in wait for Michael MacGregor after luring him to his Sittingbourne home in December 2015.

The court heard the pair had been exchanging offensive, and at times threatening, texts for months after Mr MacGregor’s wife Pippa left him and moved in with Bosch.

Mr MacGregor claimed in court Mr Bosch had messaged him referring to Sittingbourne as 'Screw City' — a slang term for prison guards — and saying he knew some screws who could "do him over."

At another point, he said, Mr Bosch had threatened to shoot his young daughter, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

But a jury has now cleared Mr Bosch of all charges after less than an hour of deliberation.

Mr Bosch and Mrs MacGregor had met while working at HMP Elmley and embarked on an affair, which Mr MacGregor found out about while on a family holiday in Australia.

Almost a year later on December 19 various messages were sent between the two, with Bosch at first allegedly threatening Mr MacGregor before begging him to come and collect his “psycho” ex-wife.

Maidstone Crown Court heard when Mr MacGregor arrived in Gerrards Drive in his work van the passenger door was ripped open and Mr Bosch shouted “have this acid” before dousing him with chemical-smelling liquid, which began to burn the side of his face.

He then allegedly lunged at him four times with a ten-inch kitchen knife, prompting Mr MacGregor to drive away, pull over and phone the police.

But Mr Bosch — described as "very popular" and "incredibly generous" — was said to have run after him “like a mad man” and began trying to stab him through the closed window.

Mr Bosch, now living in Devon and working as a gardener, said the allegations were completely made up and were intended to get back at him for 'stealing' Mr MacGregor's wife.

Mr MacGregor has previously been acquitted of harassing the pair following a magistrates' court trial.

He was cleared of criminal damage, assault, possession of a knife, threatening a person with a knife and using threatening behaviour.