A jury in Belfast Crown Court has unanimously found that a man involved in an incident in a charity football match was forced to defend himself when a 6'4" goalkeeper "came at him". Colin Weir (24), from Newtownabbey, had been playing for the "Beasty Boys" against "Best Life", a team from Dundonald Elim Church.
After a tussle over a free-kick, the "Best Life" keeper, Alan Patterson, had approached Mr Weir "at a fair pace", giving him "no alternative but to defend himself". After he had been "felled like a tree", Mr Patterson was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, where he had to undergo life-saving brain surgery.
In a statement issued after the verdict, Mr Weir said that he was "delighted" to have been found not guilty. However, he added: "As my ordeal ends, I know that they the Patterson family must live on through this, and I only hope that Alan's health continues to improve."