鈥楪azza鈥 cleared of train assault charges
Print Edition
A BRITISH jury yesterday cleared former England footballer Paul Gascoigne of sexual assault and assault by beating after he kissed a fellow train passenger without her consent.
Jurors at Teesside Crown Court in Middlesbrough, northeast England, acquitted the 52-year-old former Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Lazio midfielder of both charges following a three-day trial.
Gascoigne 鈥 widely known as 鈥淕azza鈥 鈥 insisted when he gave evidence that he had no sexual intent. He wept in the dock as the initial sexual assault verdict was returned.
The jury then cleared the footballer of an alternative charge of assault by beating.
鈥淵ou are now discharged and free to go,鈥 judge Peter Armstrong told the defendant, who can now apply to have his court costs paid.
Gascoigne had denied sexually assaulting the woman on a train last August, claiming he planted a 鈥渓ittle peck鈥 on the stranger to boost her confidence after she had been abused by another passenger.
His defense team on Tuesday showed jurors a file of photographs of him kissing other footballers and even Princess Diana to prove the encounter was not sexual.
But prosecutors alleged he had acted criminally when he planted a 鈥渟loppy鈥 drunken kiss on his accuser following an incident aboard the York to Newcastle train in which she was called 鈥渇at and ugly.鈥
Giving evidence earlier this week, Gascoigne said he was asked to pose for a photograph with two women, which the complainant took.
He then claimed someone shouted: 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want a photo with her, she鈥檚 fat and ugly.鈥
Gascoigne said he felt sorry for the woman as 鈥淚 was called a fat bastard every time I played.鈥
He then told jurors that he sat next to the woman, telling her 鈥渢ake no notice of what they say鈥 and 鈥渓isten, you鈥檙e not fat and ugly, you are beautiful inside.鈥
Then he gave her 鈥渏ust a little peck,鈥 he said.
The jury was shown four pages of photographs of Gascoigne platonically kissing, and being kissed, by celebrities and footballers, including former England strikers Ian Wright and Wayne Rooney.
Gascoigne dazzled during the 1990 World Cup in Italy, capturing the nation鈥檚 heart when he got booked in the semifinal against West Germany.
The yellow card would have ruled him out of the final had England progressed.
The former player has struggled with alcoholism since retiring from top-flight football, and admitted he had drunk three or four cans of beer on the train.
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