Ferne McCann's ex-boyfriend, 25, is CLEARED of punching a Chinawhite bouncer outside the exclusive London nightclub - as he awaits sentence for hurling acid over 14 innocent clubbers

Arthur Collins is expected to get a lengthy jail term for Britain's worst acid attack
Prosecutors say it is not in the public interest to pursue him over second attack
He was accused of punching a bouncer as he tried to rush into a London club
But a court heard today that the prosecution is not being pursued by the CPS

By Richard Spillett, Crime Correspondent For Mailonline

Published: 15:23 GMT, 4 December 2017 | Updated: 16:37 GMT, 4 December 2017

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TV star Ferne McCann's ex had been cleared of a second nightclub attack weeks after he was convicted to throwing acid at a venue

The ex-boyfriend of Towie star Ferne McCann was cleared of punching a bouncer in the face at celebrity haunt Chinawhite today as he awaits sentence for throwing acid over 14 clubbers.

Arthur Collins, 25, was said to have thumped doorman Ebrima Sanneh in the mouth outside the exclusive nightclub in Fitzrovia on 3 July last year.

He and a group of five friend were denied VIP entry after failing to book a table and began verbally abusing the security staff when asked to join the general queue, it was said.

The group then allegedly rushed the doormen who struggled to hold them back.

Collins was accused of launching a violent assault against Mr Sanneh, punching him in the jaw before he was restrained by Mr Sanneh's colleagues.

Two of Collins' friends distracted the bouncers allowing him to escape running off down the road, prosecutors claimed.

Mr Sanneh was taken to hospital and left with a permanent scar following the incident.

The court's ruling came on the same day Collins' ex McCann showed off their baby on TV

Collins was charged after a melee outside celebrity venue Chinawhite in July last year

Collins was due to stand trial for assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Southwark Crown Court today but prosecutors offered no evidence against him.

He said that the charge was being dropped 'on the basis that it is no longer in the public interest to continue with this prosecution'.

Judge Joanna Korner lamented 'the amount of time, not to mention public money' that is 'wasted' bringing cases to court and allowing them to progress before offering no evidence on the eve of the trial.

She ordered a not guilty verdict to be recorded against Collins, who was not in court.

Collins was cleared on the same day as Ferne McCann showed off her and his baby in the TV interview on ITV's This Morning.

The reality star discussed how her pregnancy proved to be the distraction she needed as she came to grips with Collins' acid attack.

Collins is awaiting sentence for a nightclub acid attack which left clubbers with terrible burns

She said: 'For me, there was always light at the end of the tunnel. It has been a turbulent seven months for me but I had something to look forward to. That was my focus.

'I needed to focus on keeping healthy, on not being stressed, and by doing that I was surrounding myself with friends and family, being busy, I kept on working.'

Last month Collins was convicted of five counts of GBH with intent and nine of causing actual bodily harm against 14 clubbers.

He faces years behind bars when he is sentenced on December 19 at Wood Green Crown Court after Judge Noel Lucas QC warned him: 'There's no sentence to be passed except for a very significant one.'

Chinawhite, synonymous with celebs such as Kate Moss and Leonardo Di Caprio moved from it’s original Soho home to Fitzrovia in 2009.

Since the move it has hosted many celebrities including Prince Harry, Paris Hilton, Tom Cruise, Niall Horan, Usain Bolt, Lindsay Rihanna, Kendall Jenner, Lewis Hamilton, Gigi and Bella Hadid and Justin Bieber.