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Former Scotland star David Goodwillie has quit football after a court found him guilty of rape.

The former Aberdeen striker and his ex-Dundee United team-mate David Robertson were ordered to pay £100,000 damages to Denise Clair after a judge in a civil case last week ruled they raped her in Armadale, West Lothian, in January 2011.

The men never faced a criminal trial but Ms Clair, who previously waived her right to anonymity, took civil action after she was left "devastated, upset and confused" when told the men would not be prosecuted.

Goodwillie, 27, had been accused of serious sexual assault but the criminal charge was dropped.

Robertson was also questioned in connection with the incident, and earlier this week it was announced by Cowdenbeath that the 30-year-old had now retired from professional football.

Victim Denise sued the footballers after the Crown Office refused to prosecute them following the incident in a flat in Armadale.

She vehemently maintained that the pair raped her after a night out on the town. They denied her claims and said she had been a willing sexual partner.

Goodwillie signed for Plymouth Argyle last year but has now left the club.

A statement on the League Two club's website said: "Plymouth Argyle confirm that David Goodwillie has left the club by mutual agreement.

(Image: SNS)

"Mr Goodwillie has asked the club to terminate his contract of employment in order that he can focus his time on a potential appeal of the civil judgment made against him."

In his ruling at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Lord Armstrong said that having "carefully examined and scrutinised" the case, he found the evidence for Ms Clair, the pursuer, was "cogent, persuasive and compelling".

He also concluded neither Goodwillie nor Robertson to be credible or reliable on the issue of whether they had a reasonable or honest belief that she was consenting.

He said: "In the result, therefore, I find that in the early hours of Sunday, January 2, 2011, at the flat in Greig Crescent, Armadale, both defenders took advantage of the pursuer when she was vulnerable through an excessive intake of alcohol and, because her cognitive functioning and decision-making processes were so impaired, was incapable of giving meaningful consent; and that they each raped her."

Ms Clair says she had refused an out-of-court settlement of £115,000 and feels "vindicated" by the ruling.

She had originally sought £500,000 in compensation but damages of £100,000 were agreed in the case.

(Image: Daily Record)

The 30-year-old mum said: "There was a pre-trial meeting of the advocates in Edinburgh on September 21.

"An increased offer on behalf of both men of £115,000, including expenses, was made. Again, I refused.

"Lord Armstrong awarded me £100,000 - less than the players wanted to buy me off with - and most of it will be swallowed up by legal costs. I don't mind though. All that matters is that I am vindicated.

"I wanted the truth to emerge and no amount of money would have bought my silence or made up for the suffering I, and my family, endured."

She insisted: "I would never have accepted anything out of court. I was never for sale."

Goodwillie continued to protest his innocence after the ruling, saying he was ready to appeal.

Denise became the first woman in Scotland to successfully sue her rapists in a civil court.