Footballer cleared of sex charge (From Croydon Guardian)

Footballer cleared of sex charge

5:17pm Friday 25th January 2013 in News By Chris Baynes, Reporter

A footballer accused of groping two women in a nightclub has been cleared of sexual assault.

Carshalton Athletic striker Nathaniel Pinney, aged 22, was alleged to have repeatedly pulled down a 23-year-old women's top before grasping her breast at Wonderland club in Sutton on August 7 last year.

But a jury at Croydon Crown Court unanimously found the former Crystal Palace footballer not guilty of the assault on Friday afternoon at the end of a four-day trial.

They also found him not guilty of slapping the bottom of a 21-year-old woman, a friend of the 23-year-old.

Neither woman can be named for legal reasons.

The footballer, who now plays as a striker for Carshalton Athletic, was fined £200 and ordered to pay £15 costs after admitted punching the 23-year-old woman in the face.

Mr Pinney, known by friends as 'Bowzie', said he had been angered when the woman "came at him" and accused him of groping her.

During the trial he denied having ever met the women prior to the confrontation.

Mr Pinney made two appearances for Palace after rising through their youth ranks alongside Wilfred Zaha.

He left the club last year and spent two months at Croydon FC before joining Carshalton.