Sean Woodcock (42), of Mapletoft Avenue, was described in court as the 'gopher' in the plot by putting Nigel Bacon's wife and son in touch with the killer, Peter Jacques.
- See this week's Chad - out tomorrow (Tuesday) - for our in depth round-up of the trial's conclusion.
But he was acquitted by a jury on Friday and as he left Nottingham Crown Court a free man, he revealed how he had felt 'very sick' to have been accused of being part of the plot.
He said: "I've lost a year of my life and I just want to go back to my family."
During the four-week trial, Mr Woodcock told the court how he knew his daughter Natasha and son-in-law Michael Bacon were in a dispute with their neighbours –– and thought he was simply being asked to find someone to give the neighbours a 'warning or a thick lip'.
He also claimed he had only met Nigel Bacon once, at his daughter's wedding on 23rd September last year.
Mr Woodock denied bearing a grudge against the dead man, even though Nigel Bacon said a DNA test should be carried out when Natasha gave birth to a baby boy.
