Roy Keane cleared of Road Rage charges

Keane said he was chilling out, relaxing when he noticed Mr Kerar across the road in his taxi. Picture:

Keane, 43, denied the public order offence after cabbie Fateh Kerar, 44, told him to “cheer up” and smile.

The Old Trafford legend gave evidence from the witness box himself and after a half day trial at Manchester Magistrates’ Court he was cleared of the offence.

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”.

Keane was cleared of causing harassment, alarm or distress to Mr Kerar - a Public Order offence.

Keane told the court he did not flick a “V” sign at Mr Kerar who had accused him of swearing and staring at him as both were parked up in Altrincham, Cheshire on the morning of January 30 this year.

Football fan Mr Kerar, told the court ‘I love Roy Keane’, but claimed the Old Trafford legend, now the assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland, gave him “bad looks”.

Mr Kerar said Keane later followed him in his car before flicking the V sign then getting out of his black Land Rover and approaching the cab swearing at him.

But the former Ipswich and Sunderland manager denied any wrongdoing from the witness box.

Keane wearing a black suit, white shirt and blue, 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.

Keane, pushing the corners of his mouth up with his fingers, told the court: “He gave me a smirking gesture.”