Magistrate let him off the hook by dismissing arson and other charges against him.

Forty-eight-year-old Card, of Wreck Road, Sandys Parish, was accused -- with P.c. Jerome Simons and his nephew Gilbert Ronald Stuart Simons -- of conspiring between March 22 and April 2 with wilfully and unlawfully setting the fishing boat Challenger ablaze.

They also faced separate charges of wilfully and unlawfully setting fire to the vessel.

And they were charged with conspiring to defraud the Bermuda, Fire & Marine insurance company and making a false claim over the boat.

The 49-foot Challenger was swept by fire while anchored off Robinson's Marina in Somerset on April 12, causing more than $100,000 in damages.

But Magistrate Edward King yesterday ruled, at the end of a long-form preliminary inquiry into charges against Card, that there was no case to answer.

And Mr. Card later told The Royal Gazette : "I and my family are very pleased about this. It is just unfortunate that it took this long to sort it out.'' The veteran fisherman said he was eager to return to the sea.

"I will do my utmost, if I can, to put things back together and get back to charter fishing,'' Mr. Card said.

He added he was looking into the possibility of obtaining another boat.

Stressing he had no idea about what happened to the Challenger , he said: "There was never any evidence. I noted him (Mr. King) as saying there was not one iota of evidence against me.'' Meanwhile 43-year-old P.c. Simons, of My Lord's Bay, Hamilton Parish -- who earlier had charges against him dropped and has since returned to duty after being suspended because of the charges -- had no comment.

And his 28-year-old nephew, of Rockaway Lane, Southampton -- who has been committed to the Supreme Court for trial -- could not be reached.