Republic of Ireland footballer Jeff Hendrick has been found not guilty of violent disorder.

He had been accused of pulling a man out of a taxi near Krystle nightclub in Dublin almost four years ago.

However - his friend and co-accused has been found guilty.

The four day trial centred on events following a night out in Kyrstle nightclub in Dublin on October 12th 2013.

Ireland had played Germany a few hours beforehand in a World Cup qualifier and lost - but Hendrick wasn’t playing as he was injured.

The then 21-year-old went out with a few friends to Krystle nightclub where a man called Darren McDermott was also out socialising.

Mr McDermot claimed he was mixing with some of Hendrick's friends when all of a sudden the footballer’s  attitude changed and he became so aggressive that bouncers kicked him out.

Mr McDermott then claimed he got into a taxi on Harcourt Street before Hendrick pulled him out of the car.

He said a group of men then chased and assaulted him. He suffered three fractures to his jaw.

However, lawyers for Hendrick argued that Mr McDermott had been a "menace" that night

He had been slagging the Irish soccer team, saying they were "crap" and "useless" and Hendrick had asked him to F-off.

They said Hendrick was injured so couldn’t have been chasing a taxi.

The Judge in the case had warned the jury that while many of us like Premier League footballers and many of us don’t, Hendrick deserved a fair and impartial trial.

After just under 30 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a not guilty verdict.

However the jurors found Hendrick’s friend and co-accused guilty of violent disorder.

Jonathon Doran of Kilmore Close in Artane in Dublin had admitted to gardaí that he had chased Mr McDermott and sat on him but said he was just trying to be the hard man.

Hendrick gave no reaction to his own verdict and just gave a quick look at his friend when he was convicted.