Craig Bellamy, the Wales and Liverpool footballer, was today cleared of assaulting two women in a Cardiff nightclub.
District Judge John Charles dismissed two charges of common assault against the 27-year-old striker because of what he described as “serious discrepancies” in the case against him.
Bellamy was accused of assaulting Sophie Palmer, 19, and Holly Smith, 18, at the No 10 nightclub in Cardiff on February 4. Miss Palmer accused the footballer of grabbing her by the throat after they argued in a corridor in the club. Miss Smith accused him of grabbing her wrist.
“It was inconsistent to convict you with the serious discrepancies in the prosecution case and the two charges are dismissed,” said the judge, who also dismissed a charge of common assault against Bellamy’s friend, Franklin Lynch, 52, of Glan-Y-Mor, Barry, South Wales.
Advertisement
The judge reached his verdict after five days of evidence, in which Bellamy denied assaulting the girls and claimed that he was slapped in the face during the argument. The footballer accused the police officers handling the case of been jealous of him. The court also heard how Miss Palmer approached Blackburn Rovers, Bellamy’s former club, offering to drop the charges if he apologised.
In a two-hour closing speech this afternoon, Charles Rees, defending Bellamy, said the evidence provided by Miss Palmer and Miss Smith was “confusing to say the least”.
He added: “We simply say that the evidence is a shambles as far as the prosecution is concerned and you should acquit Mr Bellamy of the charges.”