West Indies star Chris Gayle has won a defamation case against an Australian media group that claimed he indecently exposed himself to a massage therapist. 

The accusations were made by Fairfax Media newspapers in a series of stories in January last year, saying the all-rounder exposed himself to team masseuse Leanne Russell in a dressing room at the 2015 World Cup in Sydney and ‘indecently propositioned’ her. 

Gayle denied the incident ever happened, and that the journalists behind the story wanted to ‘destroy him’.  His version of events was backed by teammate Dwayne Smith, who was in the changing room at the time. The New South Wales Supreme Court jury ruled in Gayle’s favour, finding Fairfax was motivated by malice.

The media group had defended the articles on the basis the allegations were substantially true and in the public interest.

‘I’m a good man. I’m not guilty,’ said Gayle.

A hearing on damages will be held later.