Ex-Premier League footballer and Sky Sports pundit Peter Beagrie is cleared of attacking girlfriend for third time after she refuses to testify against him
- Zarah Blake, 38, was the sole witness and refused to testify against Peter Beagrie
- Former footballer and Sky Sports pundit had attacked his girlfriend twice before
- He was sacked by Sky last year after he was found guilty of punching Miss Blake
Former footballer Peter Beagrie, pictured, appearing at York Magistrates Court today
Former Manchester City and Everton footballer Peter Beagrie has avoided a conviction for attacking his girlfriend a third time after she refused to give evidence at his trial.
Beagrie, 52, was charged with attacking Zarah Blake, 38, at his £300,000 home in Killinghall, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire after previously attacking her twice before.
But magistrates heard on Wednesday that Miss Blake has decided not to help the Crown Prosecution Service take the latest allegation to trial.
Beagrie, who is also an ex-Sky Sports pundit, appeared at York Magistrates’ Court in a blue suit, shirt and striped tie to face the charge that he assaulted Miss Blake by beating on March 22.
However, prosecutor Katherine Schofield told the court: ‘Because of witness difficulties the Crown has difficulties in getting the matter to trial and we are offering no evidence on that matter.’
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Miss Blake was the only witness in the case.
Bench chairman Adrian Bush, addressing Beagrie, said: ‘You have heard what has been said. There is not going to be a trial and you are free to leave the court.’
The former sport star’s solicitor Peter Minnikin had successfully applied for defence costs to be paid from central funds.
After the hearing Beagrie avoided reporters’ questions by sneaking out of a side entrance.
Beagrie was sacked by Sky last year after he was found guilty of punching Miss Blake during a night out in Harrogate.
The former Manchester City and Everton player was cleared of attacking his girlfriend for a third time after she refused to testify
He shouted ‘I’m going to rip your f****** throat out’ as they drunkenly left a town centre bar, in April.
The court also heard that Beagrie had accused Blake of cheating on him.
Also, he was spared jail in February this year after he admitted to assaulting Miss Blake for a second time during a stay at the Park Plaza Hotel in Nottingham in November.
He was placed on probation for 18 months by city magistrates, ordered to do 80 hours of community work and made to attend a ‘building better relationships’ course.
As well as playing for clubs like Bradford City (pictured), Beagrie is also a former Sky Sports pundit
Last year, he was sacked by Sky after he was found guilty of punching Miss Blake during a night out in Harrogate
However, at 3am, on March 22, police were called to the couple’s home in Killinghall, on the outskirts of Harrogate.
Beagrie was again arrested and charged with assault by beating along with breaking bail conditions.
While on bail, Beagrie was stopped and breathalysed by police on May 28 after driving to his home and found to be over twice the drink-drive limit.
Beagrie was fined £200, given a six-month community order, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85, costs of £85 and disqualified from the roads for 40 months.
That came just weeks after he completed a drink-drive awareness course for a conviction in March 2017.
Beagrie, who has three children, lost wife Lynn, 50, to cancer in 2015.
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