Former England football midfielder Paul Gascoigne has been cleared of sexual assault at Teesside Crown Court today (October 17).
The 52-year-old, who denied a single charge of sexual assault, was accused of "forcefully and sloppily" kissing a stranger on a train from York to Newcastle in August of 2018.
Mr Gascioigne told jurors he had no sexual intention when he planted the kiss on the stranger, whom he said had been abused by another passenger.
He told the court he had kissed the woman to boost her confidence after he heard someone call her fat.
Gascoigne wept in the dock as he was cleared of the charge.
A jury also cleared him of a less serious alternative charge of assault by beating which they were told to consider by Judge Peter Armstrong.
After the verdict was returned the ex-Newcastle and England midfielder thanked the judge, the jury and his dentist - an apparent reference to evidence earlier in the trial about him not having his false teeth in when he was on the train.
