Premiership footballer Craig Bellamy has been cleared of assaulting two women at a nightclub.
The 27-year-old Wales and Liverpool striker was accused of common assault of Sophie Palmer and Holly Smith at the No 10 nightclub in Cardiff city centre in February this year.
District Judge John Charles told Bellamy at Cardiff Magistrates Court: "It was inconsistent to convict you with the serious discrepancies in the prosecution case and the two charges are dismissed."
Bellamy's friend, Franklin Lynch, 52, of Glan-Y-Mor, Barry, South Wales, who was accused of assaulting Miss Smith, was also cleared.
Bellamy, of Menei Way, Rumney, Cardiff, denied making any physical contact with the two young women during the alleged incident in the early hours of February 5.
He told the court on Tuesday it was, in fact, him who had been assaulted when one of the women slapped his face.
Miss Palmer, who was 19, claimed Bellamy grabbed her around the throat and held her against a wall after they exchanged heated words in a corridor at the club. Miss Smith, who was 18, accused him of grabbing her by the wrist.
The judge said in reaching his verdict he paid particular attention to the medical evidence in the case which suggested the marks on Miss Palmer's neck were not consistent with the attack she alleged Mr Bellamy to have carried out on her.
He said he was also mindful of the various discrepancies in the accounts of the complainants over what they alleged occurred in the corridor of the nightclub between them and Mr Bellamy.
Following the verdict Mr Bellamy's solicitor Matthew de Maid said: "Quite naturally Craig is really pleased that the allegations he has faced for some months has been thrown out. He has always said they were false allegations and that has proved to be the case."
