Ex-England captain John Terry cleared of racial abuse accusations

PanARMENIAN.Net - Ex-England captain John Terry has been cleared of racially abusing fellow footballer Anton Ferdinand, according to BBC News.

The Chelsea and England defender had denied making the comments to the Queens Park Rangers player during a match at Loftus Road last October.

The 31-year-old told Westminster Magistrates' Court he was merely repeating what he thought Ferdinand had said to him as they traded insults. Terry had described himself as "angry and upset" over the claims.

It was alleged he had insulted Ferdinand in a match between Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers, describing him as "black" and using extreme sexual swear words.

Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle said he had heard a great deal of evidence to show Mr Terry was not a racist.

In his written judgment, he said that after weighing the evidence it was "highly unlikely" that Terry abused Anton Ferdinand in the manner he was accused of.

Riddle went on: "The prosecution evidence as to what was said by Mr Ferdinand at this point is not strong. It is therefore possible that what he [Mr Terry] said was not intended as an insult, but rather as a challenge to what he believed had been said to him. In those circumstances, there being a doubt, the only verdict the court can record is one of not guilty."

Terry did not comment to the waiting media as he left court.