Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy was this afternoon cleared of assault on two women at a Cardiff nightclub.
Bellamy, 27, was facing a charge of common assault, against Sophie Palmer and Holly Smith. They had claimed they were assaulted in Cardiff's "No 10" nightclub in February, when Bellamy was a Blackburn player.
The District Judge John Charles ruled that the charges should be dismissed, the main reason being that the evidence provided by the prosecution was not consistent. Announcing his ruling, Judge Charles said: "It was inconsistent to convict you with the serious discrepancies in the prosecution case and the two charges are dismissed."
Bellamy was in court alongside his friend, 52-year-old Franklin Lynch from Barry in South Wales, who had been accused of assault against Holly Smith. He was also cleared.
Bellamy had already been left out of the squad for tonight's match against Portsmouth as the case had gone on longer than expected.