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| Scotland rugby star Max Evans cleared of assault by Edinburgh court | Scotland rugby star Max Evans cleared of assault by Edinburgh court |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Scotland rugby international has been cleared of assaulting a man in an Edinburgh nightclub. | A Scotland rugby international has been cleared of assaulting a man in an Edinburgh nightclub. |
| Max Evans, 28, denied attacking Alasdair McCaig in the Lulu nightclub in August 2010, claiming he acted in self-defence. | Max Evans, 28, denied attacking Alasdair McCaig in the Lulu nightclub in August 2010, claiming he acted in self-defence. |
| It was alleged he struck Mr McCaig, 29, in the face with a glass, to his severe injury and permanent impairment. | It was alleged he struck Mr McCaig, 29, in the face with a glass, to his severe injury and permanent impairment. |
| But Mr Evans, who has 24 Scotland caps, was found not guilty by a jury at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. | But Mr Evans, who has 24 Scotland caps, was found not guilty by a jury at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. |
| The jury took less than an hour to return the verdict after a five-day trial. | The jury took less than an hour to return the verdict after a five-day trial. |
| Mr Evans said: "It's been a challenging time for me and my family and friends and I would like to thank everyone who has been supportive over the recent weeks and months. | |
| "I would also like to thank the jury for their diligence in reaching their verdict. | |
| "I will now put this behind me and be very focused on my rugby. | |
| 'Red mist' | |
| "It's great to be back in the Scotland camp today with the players, coaches and management and I'm undertaking training this afternoon." | |
| The prosecution had claimed a "red mist" descended on Mr Evans during the nightclub incident, and urged the jury of nine women and six men to find him guilty, under provocation, of the assault. | The prosecution had claimed a "red mist" descended on Mr Evans during the nightclub incident, and urged the jury of nine women and six men to find him guilty, under provocation, of the assault. |
| The Crown argued that no other witness in the case was able to support Mr Evans' assertion he had been punched first by Mr McCaig. | |
| However, the rugby star's legal team argued that Mr McCaig, the prosecution's "star witness", was "manifestly incredible and unreliable". | However, the rugby star's legal team argued that Mr McCaig, the prosecution's "star witness", was "manifestly incredible and unreliable". |
| His defence lawyer insisted that Evans was "decent, measured, polite and honest" and "a gentleman in the true sense of the word". | His defence lawyer insisted that Evans was "decent, measured, polite and honest" and "a gentleman in the true sense of the word". |
| Mr Evans, a former Glasgow Warriors player, now plays for the French club Castres. | Mr Evans, a former Glasgow Warriors player, now plays for the French club Castres. |
| His brother Thom is also a former Scottish international. | His brother Thom is also a former Scottish international. |