Two professional footballers ruled to be rapists in landmark civil rape case

Scotland international footballer David Goodwillie and his former teammate David Robertson have been ruled as rapists in a first-of-its-kind civil trial in Edinburgh.

Neither one of the players - teammates at Dundee United when the incident occurred - has faced a criminal trial. Instead, they appeared in court in the first civil rape case of its kind in Scotland and were ordered to pay £100,000 in damages, lower than the £500,000 initially sought by their victim. "Having carefully examined and scrutinised the whole evidence in the case, I find the evidence of the pursuer (the woman) to be cogent, persuasive and compelling," Lord Armstrong, the judge in the case, is quoted as saying by the BBC.

"I find that in the early hours of Sunday 2 January 2011, at the flat in Greig Crescent, Armadale, both defenders (the footballers) 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."

Plymouth Argyle, for whom Goodwillie (pictured above right) currently plays, issued the following statement:

'We note today's judgment from the Court of Session in Edinburgh regarding David Goodwillie. 'We await the full report, which we will consider in detail before making any comment. 'Until such time, David Goodwillie will not be selected to play for Plymouth Argyle.'

A statement from Cowdenbeath, where Robertson (pictured above left) plays his football, reads as follows:

'We are now aware of today's Court judgement regarding David Robertson. At present, we can make no further comment until we have the full details available for us to consider and review. 'In the interim, David Robertson will not be considered for selection by Cowdenbeath FC.'