Gerrard not guilty over bar brawl

LIVERPOOL. Liverpool and England midfielder Steven Gerrard was found not guilty Friday over an alleged assault on a businessman during a bar brawl.

The player voiced relief at the ruling, in a case which has hung over him since the incident last December.

"I'd like to put this case behind me. I'm really looking forward to the season ahead and concentrating on football," he said in a brief statement outside court.

Gerrard was accused of being part of a group that injured Marcus McGee, 34, at the Lounge Inn nightclub in Southport near Liverpool, northwest England, on December 29 last year.

The Liverpool captain 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.

The jury took only 70 minutes to reach their verdict Friday. Gerrard showed no emotion when it was read out.

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."

The 29-year-old midfielder had insisted he punched McGee only in self-defence after an argument.