Jailed former footballer Ben Cousins was yesterday acquitted of an outstanding charge of possessing methamphetamine, as his lawyer dismissed claims he had been assaulted in prison as a “storm in a teacup”.

Cousins, 38, was not sporting any visible injuries according to his lawyer when he appeared in court via video link from Acacia Prison, where he is serving a 12-month sentence for stalking his former partner.

Outside Fremantle courthouse after the win, Michael Tudori denied claims made on Channel 9’s The Footy Show that Cousins had recently been set upon and assaulted by inmates after refusing to play football with them.

Mr Tudori conceded there had been a minor altercation but described it as “nothing serious”.

He would not say whether Cousins had been injured or what sparked the altercation, but denied it was about playing football. He said the former West Coast Eagles captain was “doing fine” in jail and was getting fit but would be relieved about being cleared over the drugs charge.

Police had claimed they found 3.5g of methamphetamine in Cousins’ clothing when they searched it after he was arrested in June last year over a Como incident.

The self-confessed drug addict had allegedly harassed motorists and car-window washers and forced a motorcyclist from his bike on the Canning Highway freeway overpass.

Cousins was acquitted yesterday after police offered no evidence to support their allegation that he possessed the drugs.

The magistrate ordered police to pay $6000 in costs to Cousins.

Mr Tudori said Cousins had no other pending charges and the acquittal would put him “at a greater standing to be moved over to a prison farm” from Acacia, a medium-security facility.

“We are relieved because the prosecution didn’t have a case against Ben in that regard and I’m glad they finally saw fit to discontinue,” he said.

Play Video A timeline of major events in Ben Cousins' tumultuous life. The West Australian Video A timeline of major events in Ben Cousins' tumultuous life.

He described the costs as “quite modest”, saying they had prepared for a trial.

Cousins, who was jailed in late March for the aggravated stalking of Maylea Tinecheff, the mother of his two children, repeatedly breaching a violence restraining order and possessing 8g of methamphetamine, will be eligible for parole in August.

The Weekend West understands Acacia officials viewed the altercation as minor and not unusual in a prison setting.

The Wooroloo jail made no police complaint of assault on Cousins.