Gerrard not guilty over bar brawl

Liverpool and England football star Steven Gerrard was found not guilty of affray Friday over an alleged assault on a businessman during a bar brawl.

The player showed no emotion when the verdict was read out, after 70 minutes of jury deliberation.

Judge Henry Globe told Gerrard:: “The verdict is a credible verdict on the full facts of this case, and you walk away from this court with your reputation intact.”

Gerrard was accused of being part of a group that injured Marcus McGee at the Lounge Inn nightclub in Southport near Liverpool, northwest England, in December last year.

The midfielder was celebrating his club’s 5-1 win at Newcastle United at the time. He denied the charge of affray. An initial charge of assault was dropped at a court hearing in March.

Giving evidence at the trial Thursday, the 29-year-old midfielder had insisted he punched 34-year-old businessman McGee only in self-defence after an argument about what music was being played.

But he said he was sorry about what he did, adding: “Obviously I am upset about how the whole thing turned out.”