A RACEGOER walked free from court after a jury acquitted him of breaking a man's skull at the end of last year's Ebor meeting.

Michael Anthony Day, 28, admitted punching John Bollands as crowds were leaving York's Knavesmire course, at about 5.30pm on Thursday, August 22.

He said he acted in self-defence because Mr Bollands, of Middlesbrough, had been shouting insults at him and behaving aggressively towards him.

Mr Day, of Knowle Close, Crossley Park, Liverpool, denied causing grievous bodily harm.

The jury at York Crown Court acquitted him after an hour in retirement after hearing prosecution witnesses give differing accounts of what happened on the Thursday of the race meeting.

Updated: 12:08 Friday, June 06, 2003