David Goodwillie claims he is "an innocent man" despite civil court rape ruling

20 July 2023 , 16:53

1178     0

David Goodwillie has spoken in an interview for the first time since his civil court ruling (Image: Getty Images)

David Goodwillie has claimed he is "an innocent man" in his first interview since he was ruled in a civil case to have raped a woman.

In civil proceedings, the burden of proof is on the balance of probabilities, as opposed to criminal proceedings where it has to be proved beyond reasonable doubt.

The former Scotland international was ordered to pay £100,000 in damages in 2017 after he and ex-teammate David Robertson were alleged to have raped a woman six years earlier. No criminal proceedings were brought against the footballers following the incident in a West Lothian flat. It was the first civil case of its kind in Scotland.

After the civil court ruling, Goodwillie spent five years at Clyde, scoring 109 goals in 176 appearances. He then joined Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers, but it was a move that received backlash, causing the club to cancel his contract.

Last month, he also saw his contract ripped up at Australian second-tier side Sorrento FC. Speaking on the podcast Anything Goes with James English, Goodwillie claimed he wants to move on with his life, having not played full-time professional football since leaving Plymouth Argyle in 2017.

Rapist Goodwillie hits debut hat-trick - but new club didn't announce arrival

He said: "I'm an innocent man. I still say to this day, I'm walking about free, I'm not on the sex offenders' register, I've not got any charges for this, I don't even have a criminal record any more."

Goodwillie added: "I've cleaned up my act and I've tried to be a better person."

Having been also asked about the civil court case, Goodwillie said he could not fully remember the evening of the incident as he was drunk. He said: "This case wasn't violent, this was three people drunk, having consensual sex, what was happening in front of me was normal, she was talking, laughing, joking, joining in."

Goodwillie and Robertson were accused of rape in 2011, but criminal prosecutors said there was not enough evidence to proceed.

Robertson retired from professional football following the civil case in January 2017, while Goodwillie left Plymouth by mutual consent. The latter, who previously played for Dundee United, Aberdeen and Blackburn among others, has featured for Clyde, Livingston United and English seventh-tier side Radcliffe since the civil court case.

Goodwillie was also spotted playing for Scottish outfit Glasgow United in a friendly last week.

Kieran King