NEWPORT Gwent Dragons star Ian Gough today won his appeal against a conviction for assaulting his glamour model ex-girlfriend days after she got engaged to Another Level singer Dane Bowers.

Mr Gough, originally from Cwmbran and who played 64 times for Wales, showed no emotion as Recorder Jonathan Davies announced he would allow the appeal at Croydon Crown Court.

Last year Mr Gough was ordered by magistrates to pay £2,130 in fines and costs after being convicted of grabbing and pushing Sophia Cahill, from Pontypool, against his van as he dropped their two-year-old son off at her home in Croydon on January 5, 2014.

The 38-year-old always denied lashing out at the former Miss Wales, claiming she became aggressive when he offered to help get their son out of the vehicle.

During the appeal Miss Cahill was accused of being a "manipulative liar" who repeatedly changed her story over the incident.

After hearing evidence from Miss Cahill and Mr Bowers, Mr Gough's representative John Rees applied for the case to be dismissed due to a lack of evidence that would see the Newport Gwent Dragons forward convicted.

Following a short adjournment, Mr Recorder Davies and the magistrate sitting with him, Mr Justice Burtwell, returned and announced he was allowing the appeal. Miss Cahill was not in court at the time of the verdict.

He said: "In these circumstances we have both decided that there is no reasonable prospect of our convicting him of this.

"I don't think that the evidence in this case is enough to convict the appellant. In these circumstances I allow the appeal."

The recorder said there was "very little difference" between an ill-mannered shove and something amounting to assault.

"What concerns me is that the difference between an actual assault and something which is not quite assault is very small," he said.

"We have had extensive and lengthy analysis of the circumstances surrounding the event."

He said the angry letters and nasty text messages detailed in the case were typical of a family dispute.

"There are events occurring around the central events that might well have given rise to exaggeration in either party," said Mr Recorder Davies.

He said there would be no point hearing evidence from Mr Gough when there was no prospect of conviction.

He added: "This decision contains no implication or judgement of personality or character on the people involved."

Mr Gough hugged his current partner and shook hands with his legal team after the case finished.

Speaking after being cleared, Mr Gough said: "I'm massively relieved at the outcome today.

"Everything was quashed, the evidence was heard that wasn't in the last case.

"The truth is out there and the right result was made.

"It's been a tough 16 months since the allegations were made.

"It's been a very stressful time."

Supported by his partner Emma-Louise Beames, he thanked his family, friends and bosses at Newport Gwent Dragons for being "fantastic".

He said he is now looking forward to being able to concentrate on his future beyond his retirement from professional rugby in May.