Republic of Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane has been found not guilty at Manchester Magistrates' Court of a public order offence linked to an alleged road rage incident.

Keane (43) denied the offence which was said to have occurred after taxi-driver Fateh Kerar (44) had told him to “cheer up”.

The former Manchester United captain gave evidence in court before being cleared of causing harassment, alarm or distress to Mr Kerar.

Mr Kerar earlier told the court that Keane had flicked a ‘V’ sign and shouted aggressively at him after he had made a “smile” gesture with his hands towards the former footballer before driving off.

He claimed Keane then followed him in his black 4x4 and caught up with him at a junction near traffic lights in Ashley Road, Altrincham, Cheshire on January 30th last.

Mark Angus, for the prosecution, said Mr Kerar had picked up a fare in Hale village and the passenger asked that the he stop so she could get some money.

Kept staring

Mr Kerar, who was allowed to give evidence from behind a screen, told the court: “When I parked my car I looked to the left and it was Roy Keane parked in his car. I looked at him, he looked at me. He kept staring at me in my face.

Mr Kerar said that he made a wave gesture to him but that Keane made no response and continued to stare at him for between 10 and 15 seconds.

He said that he set off to Altrincham Station with his fare and Keane followed him “straight away”.

He told the court that he stopped at a junction and Keane the got out of his car.

“He jumped from his car and he was swearing aggressive. I could hear from him his Irish accent. He was very mad. He was swearing, mad and he lost his temper. He was very aggressive. He put his finger to me like that (gestured V sign).

“He was of course ‘f******’ and ‘f******’. I’m not going to say what he said. He was swearing, you f****** this you f*** that. I’m not sure exactly what he was saying. I said to him to go back to his car.”

He added that people were staring and he told Keane, “just get back to your car”.

“I heard him say, ‘what’s wrong with you’ in an Irish accent,” Mr Kerar added. “I could see everybody looking at me. I stopped outside the station, I was shaking, I said to the lady, ‘look at me I’m shaking’.”

Mr Kerar told the court that he then went to Altrincham Police Station.

Seeking publicity

Stuard Denney QC, representing Keane, cross-examined the witness, questioning why, after going to the police, he next rang the Manchester Evening News. He asked if the taxdriver was seeking publicity.

Mr Kerar replied: “No. I want this court to punish Roy Keane, what he did to me. I don’t want publicity.”

The witness agreed that he spoke to a reporter but claimed he did not want to have his name in the papers.

Mr Denney asked: “Did you make that account as bad as you possibly could to maximise embarrassment to Mr Keane?”

Mr Kerar replied: “I took the anger from my heart and I said it to the news.”

Mr Denney added that Keane had pulled up in traffic alongside Mr Kerrar to let pedestrians cross and did get out of his car but stayed next to it.

The QC said to Mr Kerar: “You smiled a big fake or idiotic smile at him, suggesting to him for a second time that he should smile. As he turned right you indicated a ‘V’ sign with one hand to him. Meaning effectively ‘buzz off you miserable person’. Did you say then ‘you need to cheer up’?”

Mr Kerar said: “No, I never use signs like that. I didn’t say that.”

Focused stare

Hothan Isman, the fare Mr Kerar had picked up, said that after she got in the cab the driver pointed out the footballer parked in his car across the street.

“I looked over and saw him staring towards us. Towards our vehicle, looking directly at us. In fact it was not just a glance because I was quite surprised how focused he was,” she said.

Ms Isman added: “Initially because of the status of Mr Keane we acknowledged him and the taxi driver smiled at him. He just continued to glare.”

As the cars pulled up at a junction the witness said Mr Keane got out of his car and approached.

She continued: “Mr Keane got out of his vehicle and walked over to our taxi and he was shouting and moving his hands around and being aggressive.”

Asked how she felt, the witness replied: “Er, scared. Shocked, upset. I was worried.”

‘Chilling out’

Keane told the court he did not flick a “V” sign at Mr Kerar. He said he was “chilling out, relaxing” in his car waiting for his wife when he noticed Mr Kerar across the road in his taxi.

Keane said they nodded to acknowledge each other but as they both moved off in their cars the cabbie made a gesture. He pushed the corners of his mouth up with his fingers which Keane described as “a smirking gesture.”

District Judge Duncan Birrell said there was something of the “thwarted fan” about Mr Kerar and Keane’s lawyer described the whole incident as a “storm in a tea cup”.

Dismissing the case against Keane, Judge Birrell told him: “I have listened with great care to the evidence in your case. The burden of proof is on the prosecution.

“It’s my view, taking, as I have said, a careful account of the evidence, that they have failed to discharge their burden; therefore I find you not guilty.”

He added that the evidence was “riddled with inconsistencies and improbabilities” and told Keane “you probably will regret getting out of the car”.

Keane made no reaction as the verdict was given.