From the Manly Daily:
During the 11-day trial, a jury heard the 17-year-old girl had a diagnosed psychiatric illness and her father had previously been jailed for fraud.
In a statement on behalf of the Stewart family, Manly lawyer Ian Byrne said: “This was a case of a girl with hallucinations and delusions who had a father who had been to jail for dishonesty.â€Â
Mr Byrne said Stewart’s family was “always confident†he would be found innocent but were “obviously very gratefulâ€Â.
Mr Byrne, who never doubted his client would win, told the Daily that, “in my view, the matter should have been terminated long agoâ€Â.
“When the full story comes out, everyone will see why,†he said.
It is understood Stewart and his manager are negotiating with a prominent media outlet to tell the footballer’s side of the story.
“We’re all delighted with the result but I’m particularly delighted for Brett and his family,†Mr Byrne said.
“I’ve been a lawyer for 35 years and I’ve never seen what I saw outside the court - three of the jurors were waiting outside to wish Brett all the best. One of the jurors was clearly in tears.â€Â