A VAN driver who punched a man to the ground during a confrontation in Cirencester on Cotswold Show day two years ago has been cleared of assault.

The jury at Gloucester Crown Court took only a few minutes to reach a verdict at the trial today (September 19) of not guilty in favour of Ross Gall, aged 39, who had denied assaulting a Cirencester company director causing him actual bodily harm.

Gall, of Chaucer Road, Weston-super-Mare, maintained that he was acting in self-defence when he punched the company director outside his home in Cecily Hill, Cirencester at around 2pm on Sunday, August 15 two years ago.

After the jury had found Mr Gall not guilty the judge at Cirencester Courthouse granted him his out of pocket expenses for attending court hearings.