CHERRIES defender Steve Cook has admitted he was devastated after being forced to stand trial twice for a crime he did not commit.

Cook and three team-mates from his former club Brighton were last week cleared of sexual assault charges following a retrial at the Old Bailey.

The 22-year-old, in his first interview since his acquittal, told the Daily Echo: “When the jury said they hadn’t been able to reach a verdict in the first trial, it was devastating news for me and the family. I thought I was going to be able to put it all behind me and have the rest of the season to concentrate on my football.

“Instead, I had to pick myself up, put on a brave face and go again. Thankfully, we won promotion and, when you are winning, it helps take your mind off things.”

Cook added: “When I walked on to the pitch in the first game after I had been arrested, I felt people were looking at me in a different light and it wasn’t nice. It was always going to happen because it was news and not good news.

“I think people sometimes prefer to read news like that. That was the hardest thing for me.

“I had to tell my family and friends not to read internet message boards and social media sites because you see some horrible stuff on there. Hopefully, now it is all behind me, people can talk about me in the right way.”

Cook was keen to publicly thank numerous people for their support, including father Richard, mother Elaine, girlfriend Mercedes and her family, Cherries boss Eddie Howe, assistant Jason Tindall, his agents John and Jason Mac and his team-mates.

“Everyone at the club stuck by me through thick and thin,” said Cook.

“I know a lot has been said about the spirit in the camp but it is so true and I want to thank my team-mates for keeping me going because they were fantastic.

“As a young lad with something like that hanging over my head for so long, I needed a lot of support and felt I had it from the whole of Bournemouth. You don’t forget the people who have stuck by you and I won’t for the rest of my life.”