A criminal case against former Bradford Bulls star Henry Paul has been dropped.

A charge against the England and Gloucester rugby union centre alleging he failed to give a breath specimen after being stopped by police was dismissed by a Court.

Judge Graham Parsons threw out the case at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court after deciding the Crown could not prove that Mr Paul did not have a good excuse for failing to provide a specimen. The player had denied refusing to provide the specimen after being stopped in Cheltenham in the early hours of March 21.

He refused to give a the breath test because he felt sick, the court was told.

The court heard that Mr Paul, 30, of All Saints Road, Cheltenham, refused a roadside breath test and two further tests at the town's police station, telling officers: "You can't make me do anything I don't want to do."

At an earlier hearing, Mr Paul denied failing to give a breath test. He also pleaded not guilty to driving without due care and attention, not having a licence and driving without insurance. The case was dismissed after prosecution witness, police surgeon Dr Simon McMinn, said that if Mr Paul had felt sick it might have been a good enough excuse to not provide a breath specimen.

The court was played a CCTV video of Mr Paul being questioned after his arrest at Cheltenham police station.

Dr McMinn said that from the evidence of the video Mr Paul appeared capable of taking a breath test.

He said: "He was standing up, was coherent and was responding to questions. His breathing appeared normal.

"There was nothing to indicate he would have trouble providing a specimen of breath."

But under cross examination from Nicholas Freeman, defending, Dr McMinn admitted that Mr Paul had not been examined at the time to determine if he was sick or not.

He also said that no police doctor had been called at any time while Mr Paul was in police custody

Mr Freeman argued that without a proper medical examination it was impossible from looking at the video to prove if Mr Paul was ill or not.

Questioning Dr McMinn he said: "If the defendant had felt sick rather than been sick it might have provided him with an excuse."

Dr McMinn answered: "It might do, yes."

Mr Freeman argued that the prosecution could not, on those grounds, prove beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Paul did not have a good excuse for failing to provide a specimen.

District Judge Mr Parsons said: "Had the doctor been called he could have examined Mr Paul and decided if he was or was not fit to provide a specimen.

"The Crown could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Paul didn't have an excuse for providing a specimen of breath. Therefore the case against Mr Paul is dismissed."

Mr Paul joined the Bulls in 1998 from Wigan and played alongside brother Robbie who is still at the club.

During his four years at the Bulls, Mr Paul proved a popular figure with fans.