Government MP Glenn Blakeney said justice had prevailed after being cleared of assaulting a former TV journalist.

The MP for Devonshire North Central was yesterday found not guilty of assaulting former ZBM reporter Gary Moreno during Cup Match two years ago. Mr. Blakeney, the founder and president of Inter-Island communications, the parent company of HOTT 107.5, said: “I am a reasonable businessman with a good track record.

“I had no reason in front of dignitaries to act out of character and to assault someone. It would be wrong and out of character for me to have acted out of provocation. I am glad that justice has prevailed.’’

The trial, which began in November last year, heard that Mr. Moreno was interviewing the then Deputy Governor Nick Carter at St. George’s Club on July 28, 2005, the first day of Cup Match.

In evidence, Mr. Moreno claimed that Mr. Blakeney interrupted the interview on the grounds that Hott had exclusive rights to the event. Mr. Moreno said he and cameraman Ian Rawlins complied immediately and stopped to talk to two friends they saw on the way out.

It was then, Mr. Moreno told the court during the trial that he felt Mr. Blakeney push him in the rib area. “I said ‘do not put your hands on me again’, or words to that effect”.

In his defence, Mr. Blakeney admitted he had interrupted the interview and had put his hand up to the camera, but he had never placed a hand on Mr. Moreno.

The court also heard from three other defence witnesses, Mr. Paynter, Elsworth Christopher, who was present in the clubhouse at the time of the alleged assault and Isadore Lee, an Inter-Island communications employee. Both Ms Lee and Mr. Christopher said they had not seen Mr. Blakeney push Mr. Moreno and Mr. Paynter denied that he had invited Mr. Moreno to stay in the clubhouse.

And in his submission yesterday, Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo said though he was sure there were hostilities exchanged, he had serious doubts about what happened.

Mr. Tokunbo said: “On the prosecutions’ side there was a lack of agreement between the witnesses about the sequence of events.”

Though the prosecution had called three witnesses, Mr. Tokunbo yesterday threw out evidence given by Cleon Scotland, one of the prosecution witnesses and Mr. Moreno’s brother-in-law saying: “Not only was his evidence not supportive, but it was not credible.

“On the one hand there was serious contradictions between Cleon Scotland and (prosecution witness) Albert Steede Jr. between when things were said and though they were both right there, they saw something completely different.”

Before Mr. Tokunbo could finish his submission and issue his ruling, Mr. Moreno left the court room.

The Magistrate found Mr. Blakeney not guilty on grounds that he has reasonable doubt about the events.

After the verdict, defence lawyer Victoria Pearman reserved the right to submit a request for Mr. Moreno to pay for the cost of the trial and Mr. Tokunbo accepted it.

After the case, Mr. Moreno said: “I am disappointed, but not surprised and I stand by my story.”