John Terry is not an aggravated racial abuser, just a well-documented jerk. The Chelsea captain has been cleared by a chief magistrate on charges of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.

Terry had been caught on camera calling Ferdinand “a fucking black cunt.” Terry did not dispute the statement, but claimed he was responding to Ferdinand accusing him of racial abuse. The charges were brought, not by Ferdinand who did not hear the comment, but by a police officer who witnessed the incident on television.

Ferdinand recounted the exchange as follows:

“He called me a cunt, and I called him a cunt back. And he gave me a gesture as if to say my breath smelled. I said to him: “How can you call me a cunt? You shagged your team-mate’s missus, you’re a cunt.”

Terry claimed he met Ferdinand after the match to clarify what happened

After the game, Terry asked Ferdinand to the Chelsea dressing room. Terry said he asked him: “What happened out there, geez? Was you accusing me of calling you a black cunt? – my exact words – and he said: ‘No, not at all.’” Terry then said “good” and the two agreed it was “just handbags, innit”.

Basically, no one heard what Terry said on the pitch and the TV evidence was found to be inconclusive.

As Ashley Cole said, this probably was a matter that should have been handled by the English FA, who now have a decision to make. Though acquitted of committing a crime, Terry’s actions were at least as bad as those that saw Luis Suarez suspended for eight matches.

[Photo via Getty]

Previously: John Terry Will Face Criminal Charges For Racial Slur
Previously: Video: John Terry’s Profoundly Dumb Red Card Against Barcelona