Chelsea defender Ashley Cole's shooting case closed

Chelsea's defender Ashley Cole will not face any charges after accidentally shooting an intern at the club with an air rifle at Chelsea's Cobham training ground in Surrey.

21-year-old Tom Cowan was shot at by an airgun brought into the training ground by Cole on 20 February.

On Friday, the Surrey Police confirmed they would not be taking any action against the Chelsea and England left back and added that it was satisfied that no breaches of firearms legislation had taken place.

Tom Cowan was hit on the side of his leg by a lead pellet when Cole, under the impression that the gun was empty, was larking around with it at the club's training ground in Cobham. However, Chelsea's medical staff was at hand to treat the bleeding wound.

After the incident, Cowan was called into a three-hour meeting with deeply worried Chelsea officials to discuss the matter. A day later, Tom's father Ronald Cowan held another meeting with the club where he was intent on taking an action against Cole.

Cole was reported to have been severely talked to, and formally apologised to Cowan.