This is the moment Paul Gascoigne broke down as he revealed his ‘year from hell’ before he was cleared of sexual assault on a train.
The England legend was found not guilty on Thursday after he kissed a woman while travelling through County Durham.
The 52-year-old former footballer appeared on Good Morning Britain today to reveal how he struggled to stay strong in the 12 months before he walked free from Teesside Crown Court.
He sobbed as he said: ‘I think I spent the whole year telling people I did nothing wrong.’
The England star (pictured on Good Morning Britain today) says he refused to turn to alcohol despite his struggles with alcoholism over the years
The ex-Newcastle and Tottenham ace has battled alcohol addiction over the years but said that he refused to turn to booze despite the stress of the allegation.
‘Obviously I did get worried, I could’ve taken the easy way out and hit the bottle, but I didn’t, I stayed strong,’ he said, revealing that he went fly-fishing as a way to cope.
The ex-Newcastle star broke down on Good Morning Britain today as he spoke of his ‘year from hell’ fighting the allegation
Gazza maintained his innocence during a four-day trial, saying the kiss was not sexual, and that he kissed the stranger to boost her confidence after he heard someone call her fat.
He was cleared of sexual assault and was also found not guilty of the less serious charge of common assault.
In a statement read outside court by his solicitor Imogen Cox, Gascoigne said it had been ‘tough’ having the allegation hanging over him for a year
Jurors were shown photos of Gascoigne kissing celebrities, including Princess Diana in 1990, in an attempt to back up his claim that he often kissed people
Left, Gascoigne kissing Danny Baker and right, Gascoigne kissing Wayne Rooney
He said today that the thought of being added to the Sex Offenders Register had been ‘horrendous’ and said that once the case was done with he didn’t even want to celebrate the verdict.
‘A lot of people with this would go out and celebrate I didn’t because there was nothing to celebrate,’ he said. ‘It’s been a tough year.’
Hosts Ben Shephard and Penny Lancaster asked whether he’d rethink his conduct after he said he kissed the woman in question to protect her from a passenger who called her ‘fat and ugly’.
‘I don’t think I’ll ever change I am who I am,’ he said. ‘I’ve always been a nice guy, a caring guy and ill help anybody. I’m not saying I did right, I’m not saying I did wrong.’
The verdict last week prompted fury, with several women taking to social media to criticise the decision.
Elizabeth Pascoe wrote: ‘If forcibly kissing a stranger on a train (it’s funny bc she’s fat) in front of a carriage worth of people isn’t sexual assault, then how can anyone expect to be protected by the law?’
Helen Mott added: ‘To the woman who reported being forcibly kissed by Paul Gascoigne I want to say thank you for going through this, please believe it has made a difference, the system was not designed to give women justice but we take small steps. Many women strongly support you.’
Kathryn Williams posted: ‘No wonder women don’t report assault.A train full of people witnessed it. And him calling her a fat lass as defence why it wouldn’t be sexual has my blood boiling. Let’s hope the Botox on his face stops more speech.’
But, explaining the incident itself, Gazza said today: ‘I was on the train and a couple of women wanted some selfies, some photos with them.
‘When I got up, someone next to us said, “why do you want a photo with her she’s fat and ugly?”
‘So, I went and sat next to her and said, “You are not fat and ugly, you are beautiful inside and out,” I learnt that from treatment centres.
‘I just thought I would give her a bit of confidence. I never thought anything of it. Until I went to the hotel and then got the call, we want to question you.’
On whether he kissed her, he went on: ‘I admit that, I said it straight away from when the police called. I gave her a peck and said she’s not fat and ugly, she’s beautiful inside and out.’
Asked about kissing a stranger on the lips and whether it had been a wise decision, he added: ‘Of course not, I look back at it now. If that was the case, I would be in court for the last 30 years for people coming up and kissing me.
‘So, I just never thought anything, I didn’t feel it at a sexual way, or I didn’t look at that way, you know? I sat with my lawyers and they told me what could happen.’