by Craig Borland

A HELENSBURGH man has been cleared of kicking a man during a Clydebank five-a-side football match.

John Haughie, of Benbuie Drive, was alleged to have kicked the man after a dispute over a foul at the Goals Soccer Centre in Great Western Road nearly two years ago.

The case collapsed after one of the victim's fellow players was unable to identify the man responsible with so much time passed. There was no explanation as to the delays but the trail had been brought to Dumbarton Sheriff Court on three previous occasions.

The victim identified Mr Haughie, 29, from the match on the evening of October 1, 2014 when he gave evidence, saying the assault happened in the last 10 minutes of the game.

He said: "I had the ball and his team mate challenged me. As I got up, I got whacked in the face and lost sight in one eye for a time.

"I looked down at my top and there was blood. I was not sure if it was a punch or a kick. The person who challenged me was not the one who struck me.

"The game was abandoned."

The victim went to the centre to get an ice pack and later had stitches at the Western Infirmary.

Under cross examination from Mr Haughie's solicitor, Tom Brown, he said: "It was a foul on me. I don't know how I was struck. It came from my blind side. I didn't see who struck me. After I was struck, I was looking at the floor and saw these boots come up to me.

"[Mr Haughie] was not on the team list - one of the team members had brought him along because they were short."

The team mate said his pal had been punched in the first half after the foul and there was an argument before he was struck.

The defence had planned to mount a defence of alibi but depute fiscal Scott Simpson said the Crown would not be leading further evidence or seeking a convictions.

Sheriff Thomas Ward found Mr Haughie not guilty due to a lack of corroboration.