Sixties pop star PJ Proby walked free from Worcester Crown Court after being cleared of £47,000 benefit fraud charges after a two-week trial.

He claimed that justice had been done and the American-born singer likened his victory to remarks made by a prominent American more than 200 years ago.

The 73-year-old, of Twyford, near Evesham, who was charged under his real name of James Marcus Smith, had denied allegations brought by the Department of Work and Pensions after a five-year investigation that he had cheated the benefits system out of more than£47,000.

During Proby’s trial, the prosecution claimed the singer failed to declare earnings from concert tours, savings and royalties while receiving income support, pension credit, council tax benefit and housing benefit.

Proby, who had yet to give evidence in his defence, was alleged to have committed the offences between November 2002 and March 2008.

Before the close of the prosecution case, barrister Nicholas Smith disclosed that documents of a previous appeal hearing had caused him to undertake a last-minute review of the case. He had consulted DWP officials and it was decided to offer no further evidence.

Judge John Cavell directed the jury to return not guilty verdicts on nine charges of benefit fraud involving income support, pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit.

After the case, defence solicitor Chris Hilton read a statement on behalf of his client: “I am very happy justice has finally been done. I was not dishonest when I claimed benefits which I needed in order to live. I only performed to give pleasure.

“For the last four years I have lived in fear of becoming homeless because my housing benefit was cut off and of being wrongly sent to prison for a crime I never committed.

“In 1786 another American John Adams, who became a president of the United States, said that Worcester was the ground where liberty was fought for.

“He said this was holy ground; in 2012 it still is.”