A former soldier, accused of groping a woman's bottom and then throwing his glass at her in a nightclub, has been cleared.

Douglas Dwyer, 26, formerly of Raglan Avenue in Waltham Cross, said the 22-year-old blonde was "very, very drunk" at The Villa in Cottis Lane, Epping, and kept barging into him and his friends, spilling their drinks.

Mr Dwyer, who served in the Royal Engineers for seven years until he left the Army when he was charged, said he only put his hand on her lower back to let her know she was bumping into him and that she had liquid on her dress.

The woman is the girlfriend of an unnamed professional footballer and the couple and their friends were at a VIP table next to the former soldier's on March 17 last year, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Mr Dwyer, now an estate agent, claimed he acted in self-defence.

He said he threw the contents of his glass over her after she punched him first and then "flicked" the plastic glass up when her boyfriend and entourage started attacking him.

He said he didn't aim it at anyone.

The unnamed woman, who suffered a dislodged bottom tooth and bleeding. told the court Mr Dwyer groped her three times.

She said after the third occasion she shoved him in the chest, with either clenched fists or open hands.

He denied charges of sexual assault and assault causing actual bodily harm. 

After less than an hour of deliberations, the jury returned unanimous not-guilty verdict.