Paul Gascoigne, the former England footballer, promptly thanked his dentist after being cleared of sexually assaulting a woman he kissed on a train.

The 52-year-old kissed the stranger "very forcibly and sloppily on the lips", causing her to recoil in horror and leaving her “very shaken”.

But he insisted it was not sexual and that he did so simply to give her a confidence boost after another passenger abused her for being fat.

Gascoigne was cleared of sexual assault as well as a less serious alternative charge of assault by beating following a four-day trial at Teeside Crown Court.

As Judge Peter Armstrong confirmed he was free to leave, the former Newcastle, Spurs and Everton midfielder replied: "Thank you very much your honour, thank you very much to the jury and thank you very much to my dentist."

The bizarre remark was a reference to a request to remove his bottom teeth during the trial.