A COMMONWEALTH Games weightlifter has been cleared of sexually assaulting a man in a supermarket toilet.

Toua Udia, 22, denied touching the man inappropriately at Tesco on Dalmarnock Road in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, on July 21.

At the end of a two-day trial, Sheriff Martin Jones said he was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the Crown had proved the case against Mr Udia, who is from Papua New Guinea, and acquitted him with a not proven verdict.

Speaking afterwards, Ian Moir, Mr Udia's lawyer, said: "Mr Udia has maintained his innocence throughout and is delighted with the outcome of the case.

"He now wishes to put this behind him and is looking forward to returning to see his family."

In evidence on Monday, Mr Udia's accuser told Glasgow Sheriff Court the athlete touched his testicles while he was helping him strap an ice pack to his leg.

Earlier yesterday morning the court heard from Crown witness Graham Buchanan, a security guard at Tesco, who said a man came up to him in the store and told him a male athlete had touched him in the toilets.

He said the angry man pointed out Mr Udia, who was wearing a tracksuit in his country's colours. Mr Buchanan told the court Mr Udia looked "calm and relaxed" and his demeanour did not change when he told him there had been a complaint about him, and he remained "relaxed".

Asked in court what Mr Udia's response was, Mr Buchanan said he seemed to know something had happened, but did not comment.