Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne breaks down in tears as he recalls court ordeal

The former England footballer got emotional when speaking for the first time since being cleared of sexually abusing a woman he kissed on a train.

Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne has said he is glad his court ordeal is "over with" after what has been a "long year" during an emotional interview on Good Morning Britain.

Speaking about the incident In his first TV interview since being cleared of sexually abusing a woman he kissed on a train, he explained: “I was on the train and a couple of women wanted some selfies, some photos with them… when I got up, someone next to us said, ‘why do you want a photo with her she’s fat and ugly?’... So, I went and sat next to her and said, ‘You are not fat and ugly, you are beautiful inside and out,’ I learnt that from treatment centres. I just thought I would give her a bit of confidence. I never thought anything of it. Until I went to the hotel and then got the call, we want to question you."

On whether he kissed her, he went on: “I admit that I said it straight away from when the police called. I gave her a peck and said she’s not fat and ugly, she’s beautiful inside and out.”

Asked about kissing a stranger on the lips and whether it had been a wise decision, he added: “Of course not, I look back at it now. If that was the case, I would be in court for the last 30 years for people coming up and kissing me. So, I just never thought anything, I didn’t feel it was in a sexual way, or I didn’t look at it that way, you know? I sat with my lawyers and they told me what could happen.”

On the police coming to speak to him, he went on: “When they came [the police], they didn’t handcuff [me], I happily walked in the car with them, went to the police station and gave in my statement. I never changed that, it was exactly what I said in the courtroom.”

Asked if he was scared, he added: “Not at first, not at first, I think I was more scared when I sat with my lawyers… when I sat with them and they told me. Obviously, I did get a bit worried, you know. I could have easily took the easy way out and took to drinking and not bothered about it. I stayed strong through it."

The interview then took an emotional turn when Gazza broke down in tears, as he added: “Then it gets hard when you walk around the streets and you have people saying we’re on your side."

Apologising for crying in the studio, he added: “I think I spent the whole year telling people I did nothing wrong, sorry."

Elsewhere, the famed footballer spoke about being six months sober after years of battling with alcohol addiction, claiming the court ordeal nearly drove him to drink.

He said: “It was definitely [a test], even two days ago I felt like I wanted a drink and I just rang my sponsor and told him how I felt. A lot of people with this would go out and celebrate and I didn’t feel I had anything to celebrate because it has been a tough year. I would say the rest of my life depended on this.”

Asked if the incident had changed his outlook on life and his behaviour, he replied: “I don’t think I will ever change. I am who I am. I just felt that was not right for her to be called what she was called, fat and ugly. I suppose I would do that for anyone. I’ve always been a nice guy, a caring guy, I‘ll help anybody. But when it sort of backfires like that then you have to think twice on it. I’m not saying I did right, I’m not saying I did wrong.”

He went on: “Obviously I’m more cautious and there are people out there trying to stab the knife in your back. I’m wary of that. I can’t change, I don’t know, I’ve been like this for years and years and years. I feel like I’m one of the public.”