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Terry enters court today. Sang Tan/AP/Press Association Images
on trial

Cleared: John Terry found not guilty of racial abuse

The Chelsea captain will not face charges after this afternoon’s verdict.

JOHN TERRY HAS been found not guilty at Westminster Magistrates in London this afternoon.

The Chelsea captain was accused of racially insulting QPR defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League game between the teams at Loftus Road last October and spent the five-day trial attempting to prove his innocence.

At 2pm, Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle gave his verdict and said his job wasn’t to decide if Terry was a racist as that was not relevant. The issue, he said, was whether or not Terry racially abused the player in question on that particular day.

Alison Saunders, the chief crown prosecutor for London, said in a statement: “The very serious allegation at the heart of this case was one of racial abuse. It was our view that this was not ‘banter’ on the football pitch and that the allegation should be judged by a court.

“The chief magistrate agreed that Mr Terry had a case to answer, but having heard all of the evidence he acquitted Mr Terry of a racially aggravated offence. That is justice being done and we respect the chief magistrate’s decision.”

A statement on behalf of Terry read:

The court has today acquitted John Terry of all charges. He has consistently explained his position to the FA, to the police and to the court. He did not racially abuse Mr Ferdinand and the court has accepted this. John would like to thank his legal team for their hard work and his family, friends and Chelsea Football Club for their support.”

Had the 31-year-old been found guilty, he could have been fined up to €3,150.

Read the ruling in full here

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