Gloucester Rugby star Lesley Vainikolo today had charges of causing grievous bodily harm dropped.

Vainikolo, 30, was accused of punching fan Jake Alicker outside the Second Bridge nightclub in Bath in the early hours of October 26 last year.

Earlier this month a jury failed to reach a verdict at his trial at Bristol Crown Court.

Today the Crown Prosecution Service, which was considering a retrial, discontinued its case against the England international.

A Gloucester Rugby spokesman said: “Gloucester Rugby are happy that Lesley can now put the incident behind him and focus 100% on his rugby for the rest of the season.”

For more on this story see The Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo tomorrow