A BARRHEAD teenager who won a world title for his dancing exploits as a boy has been cleared over his alleged part in a gang assault at a posh country club.

Antonio Crawford had the world at his feet after being crowned the under-12 World Champion Hip Hop and Street Dancer.

The former Springhill Primary pupil got a scholarship to a dance school in Edinburgh and competed in international competitions.

But he later turned to a life of crime and, now aged 19, has racked up several convictions.

Crawford’s latest court appearance saw him joined in the dock by 18-year-old Aman Arif and a 17-year-old, who can’t be named for legal reasons, over an alleged attack on Sameer Syed at Parklands Hotel and Country Club, in Newton Mearns.

Prosecutors claimed the trio and unidentified others pushed Mr Syed to the ground and battered him, leaving him injured and scarred for life.

They were also said to have placed Mr Syed and another teenager, who told police the three accused were members of a gang named Fam XL, in a state of fear or alarm by shouting, following them and throwing bottles at them.

All three denied acting in the manner described on October 14, 2016, and went on trial at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Prosecutor Carol Cameron argued there was enough evidence to convict all three as they were identified by Mr Syed as being at the scene.

She added: “He said ‘Antonio Crawford was right at the front of the group when I went down. I was covering my head with my hands. I was being kicked by a lot of people’.”

However, Sheriff James Spy ruled he couldn’t be sure about what had happened and found the charges against all three not proven.

He said: “Clearly there was a serious incident involving a large group of youths and the second complainer was assaulted and sustained a serious injury.

“In my view, I don’t think I heard the whole truth of what happened on the night in question.

“I’m not satisfied the Crown have proved their case to the appropriate standard of beyond a reasonable doubt and I’m going to return a verdict of not proven.”

Although they walked free from court, Crawford has to return to the dock next month, when he is due to be sentenced for another assault and breaching his bail conditions by being outwith his home during his curfew hours.