Terry cleared of racial claim

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Chelsea captain John Terry has dramatically been cleared of racially abusing QPR player Anton Ferdinand during a Premiership game in October 2011.

The Chief magistrate Howard Riddle delivered the verdict to a packed Westminster Magistrates’ court on Friday 13 July 2012.

Racially aggravated

During the four day trial, Terry had been accused of racially abusing Ferdinand after he provoked him for having affair with a team-mate's girlfriend.

But it has since been affirmed that Terry only repeated back the slur that Ferdinand mistakenly thought was used on him.

Verdict

-It is impossible to be sure what were the words spoken by Mr. Terry at the time. It is also impossible to say what was said by Mr. Ferdinand. I am satisfied that there was little or no good reason for him to lie about the central issue on this case.

- I think it is unlikely that on the central point he was lying. Overall I found Anton Ferdinand to be a believable witness on the central issue. It’s clear that the prosecution had built a strong case. Riddle told Mail Online.

Terry would have faced a £2,500 fine if convicted of the racially aggravated public order offense, but more significantly, the potential end of his England footballing career.