Ferguson: I was innocent all along

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson tonight said he welcomed a decision not to press charges against him after claims that he indecently assaulted a woman in South Africa.

Police in the country said earlier today that the Director of Public Prosecutions in the southern city of Cape Town had decided not to start proceedings against the 60-year-old Old Trafford coach.

A 21-year-old woman, Nadia Abrahams, had claimed that Sir Alex assaulted her in a car as she gave him a lift to his hotel in the early hours of Friday morning.

Sir Alex said the decision vindicated him and insisted that the experience, which he said had been distressing for his family, would not stop him or the Premiership club working in South Africa in the future.

In a statement to the Press Association tonight, he said: “I welcome the decision of the director of public prosecution, advocate S W Kahn (senior counsel) not to institute a prosecution against me.

“I am extremely appreciative of this swift but no doubt thorough and decisive way in which the South African police services and advocate Kahn dealt with the matter.

“The statement issued vindicates what I said all along, namely that I have not committed any offence and the allegations against me are spurious and without foundation.

“I thank all those who believed in my innocence and have supported me during this time.”

He added: “I want to make it clear that this matter will not deter Manchester United or myself from concluding the business for which we came to South Africa, namely to build bridges between South African football academies and Manchester United.”