A SOUTHAMPTON cabbie accused of attacking Saints soccer star Matthew Le Tissier has been cleared by a jury because of lack of evidence.

Martin Richardson, 33, was alleged to have thrown a pint glass at the Southampton striker and punched him while he was dancing at a city nightclub.

The prosecution had claimed that Mr Le Tissier was attacked while dancing with Mr Richardson's ex-girlfriend Nicole Vickery at the Chicago Rock Caf on December 20 last year.

He later needed stitches to a gash to his forehead and another clubber, Nicola Geach, 22, also needed stitches after she was said to have been injured by flying glass.

But, following an application by Richardson's barrister, Peter Henry, Judge David Maclaren Webster QC agreed there was no case to answer and directed the jury at Salisbury Crown Court to find Mr Richardson not guilty of wounding Mr Le Tissier with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and not guilty of wounding Miss Geach with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He agreed that the prosecution case had "inherent weakness and vagueness". He told the jury that there was a vast number of inconsistencies and the evidence was "vague".

During the previous three days of evidence no witness had positively identified Mr Richardson, of Paynes Road, Shirley, as the attacker or Mr Le Tissier as the victim.

Instructing the jury, Judge Maclaren Webster also praised Mr Le Tissier for his actions in the night-club. The footballer told the court that he did not see who had struck him and had walked away from the dancefloor - describing himself as "a coward".

The judge told jurors: "You may think it took courage for Mr Le Tissier to turn away from the brawl."

Today DC Joe Stock, who headed the investigation, said: "We are not looking for anybody else in connection with this matter and the case is now closed."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.