Footballer Shaun Rooney was cleared today of assaulting a teenage girl in a Glasgow chip shop.
The 29-year-old was accused of attacking 18-year-old Sophia Bruce at the Blue Lagoon on Queen Street on 19th September 2024.
Court papers stated the Fleetwood Town defender repeatedly pushed her, seized her on the body, twisted her arm and kicked her to her injury.
Rooney also faced a separate charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, including shouting, swearing and making derogatory remarks. It was claimed the offence was aggravated by prejudice related to sexual orientation.
The defender left St Mirren by mutual consent in October 2024 after being charged. Manager Stephen Robinson said at the time: “It leaves us slightly short but we will be fine. Shaun is obviously a very good player and he is a loss to any team, but we’ve got a lot of competition in that position.
“It’s a chance for somebody else to really take it by the scruff of the neck. It’s not been a shock and something sudden with him leaving. It’s been four or five weeks and we’ve got a massive squad there and everyone’s very together.”
The former Inverness and St Johnstone star was in the dock today for day two of his trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
In evidence, Rooney said he had been at a Celtic match earlier that day before visiting a casino to play blackjack. He admitted having five pints of beer before heading alone to the chip shop.
He told the court he believed Miss Bruce and her friend, 19-year-old Hussan Shah, were attempting to skip the queue and that he put his arm out to stop them.
Rooney said Miss Bruce then called him ugly, to which he replied with a comment about her hairline. He claimed she later called him “skint.”
The footballer said as he collected his food he was kicked on the shin by Miss Bruce, leaving a lump and scratch. A photo of the injury was shown in court.
He admitted he kicked Miss Bruce back but insisted it was an accident. “I just reacted because my leg was sore — it was a reaction,” he said.
The court also heard allegations that Rooney shouted a homophobic insult at Mr Shah, which he denied. He admitted calling him a “gimp” but said: “I never made a homophobic remark. I have people in my family who are gay and if I said that at a football match I would be sent off.”
He also denied claims that he poked Miss Bruce in the chest or grabbed her arm.
Miss Bruce previously told the court she was left with a red mark which turned into a bruise and said: “I don’t think I have felt so much impact before on my body.”
Delivering her verdict, Sheriff Joan Kerr told Rooney: “I wasn’t impressed by your evidence. You failed to explain what you really meant in regards to an accidental kick and what you described was much more like revenge rather than an accident.
“Your evidence is not supported by the police officer who found you to be in an aggressive state when she came across you. Just because I don’t accept your version entirely doesn’t mean the case is proved against you. There were so many discrepancies with the Crown witnesses and the court has to conclude there is a reasonable doubt about what happened on this occasion. You get the benefit of that doubt and I find you not guilty.”