Lancashire-born Strictly Come Dancing star Ricky Whittle declared that "justice has prevailed" after a jury cleared him of ploughing-down a paparazzi photographer.
Dressed in a grey suit and waistcoat, the former Hollyoaks hunk smiled and breathed a huge sigh of relief as the "not guilty" verdict was read out.
A jury of five men and seven women had just over an hour to reach their verdict, after ex-girlfriend Carley Stenson had given evidence earlier on Wednesday.
Following the three day trial, the Oldham-born actor was acquitted on both counts of dangerous and careless driving.
Speaking outside Liverpool Crown Court after the verdict, Whittle, 28, who lives at Billinge, near Wigan, said: "I'm pleased with the decision.
"It's been a tough time, the last nine months. I'm glad justice has prevailed.
"I understand it was a long decision but it was done fairly.
"I just want to say thank you to my lawyer, my barrister and lastly the jury.
"I want to thank the people of Liverpool and the Mersey because they really have supported me on the way in and the way out from the courts.
"A situation like this is never fun and it's a situation I want to move on from.
"I've got to get to a charity football game tonight and just want to move on to the next part of my career."
The 30-year-old was asked if this would affect his relationship with the press.
He said: "I've never had a problem with the press and I won't in the future."
Last year's Strictly Come Dancing runner-up had always denied a charge of dangerous driving in the early hours of 27th November 2009, in Liverpool city centre.
Whittle was said to have veered towards paparazzi photographer Steve Farrell, striking him with his red Dodge 'Ram' pick-up truck after attending a Hollyoaks Christmas party at the city's Parr Street Hotel.
Farrell, 34, who suffered bruises to his legs when he was knocked to the kerb, called in police and the actor voluntarily handed himself in to a police station in St Helens the following day.
Whittle said he had not deliberately turned the car towards the cameraman and insisted that he would never deliberately hurt anyone.
The court was shown CCTV footage of the incident, which was captured on Duke Street, Liverpool.
The footage showed Mr Whittle picking-up his former girlfriend and fellow Hollyoaks star Carley Stenson and pal Helen Splaine, while a car containing paparazzi photographers waited by the side of the road.
The court heard how the pair had split up three weeks earlier but had remained friends and did not want to fuel media speculation by being photographed together.
Farrell was seen with his camera pressed up against the windscreen trying to take pictures of the former couple after allegedly "dishonouring" an earlier promise to stop.
The freelance photographer was previously involved in an alleged assault involving Paul Gasgcoine in 2005.
The ex-England footballer and Farrell were involved in a clash, outside a Liverpool hotel, in which the photographer suffered a bloody nose. He later dropped an complaint of assault.
By Adam Faulkner
Post a comment