Former United chairman Jim McLean will not face criminal proceedings over an altercation with BBC sports reporter John Barnes. The decision not to press charges has been taken by the procurator fiscal at Dundee. Mr McLean resigned from his position with the football club after the incident, put his shares up for sale and apologised to John Barnes. The procurator fiscal said the decision not to pursue criminal proceedings had been taken after careful consideration of the police report against Mr McLean. Nine days ago police charged Mr McLean with assaulting Mr Barnes during a post-match interview following Dundee United's defeat by Hearts on 14 October. Unreserved apology Mr McLean had taken exception to the reporter's line of questioning.

He subsequently resigned from his posts as chairman, managing director and director of Dundee United, and offered an unreserved apology to Mr Barnes. The Scottish Football Association is also to investigate the incident, but not until it hears Mr McLean's own views. A meeting of the SFA's general purposes committee decided to write to Mr McLean asking for his views, and the matter is due to be discussed further at the next meeting on 12 December. Earlier this month the Scottish Premier League deferred judgement on Mr McLean while he severs all ties with the club. Its board said it suspected McLean was in breach of rule A3.2, which governs words or deeds which could bring the game into disrepute. ©BBC Sport