A Peterhead footballer has walked free from court after an assault case against him collapsed.
Striker Derek Lyle – who moved to the Blue Toon side last summer – had been on trial accused of assaulting David Martin at a pub in Glasgow.
His father, Alexander Lyle, 60, and George Madden, 58, also faced the charge.
The Crown had alleged that 38-year-old Mr Lyle and his father had punched him and stood on his head at the Auchinairn Tavern Bar – which was run by the footballer’s family at the time.
Mr Madden had been accused of hitting Mr Martin with a bottle during the incident in Glasgow last May.
But fiscal depute Harry Findlay dropped all the charges against the trio at Glasgow Sheriff Court today.
Jurors had earlier heard two days of evidence in which Mr Martin insisted he could not remember what happened that night.
The 29-year-old told the court he had been drinking and was prone to memory black-outs.
CCTV footage appeared to show Mr Martin arguing with people both inside and outside the bar.
He was also then spotted throwing a glass at a man before a fight broke out, with individuals then seen on top of him.
During his evidence, Mr Findlay asked Mr Martin who he had caused trouble with that night.
He replied: “Anyone that was there.”
He later agreed that he had to be controlled by other individuals at the bar.
After being acquitted, Mr Madden commented: “We should not have even been here in the first place.”
Queen of the South legend Mr Lyle joined Peterhead last June and has scored 12 goals in 39 appearances. He previously played for Partick Thistle and Hamilton.
The month before his move to the north-east, Mr Lyle’s pub business Derek Lyle Ltd – linked to the Auchinairn Tavern in Bishopbriggs – was liquidated.
He had been appointed sole director of the business in September 2012.
