Sutton United's star striker has described spending six months in jail accused of a serious crime as a living hell after being cleared last week.

Footballer Bradley Woods-Garness was found not guilty of taking revenge on a key witness in a murder trial ending a six month stretch in Wandsworth and Pentonville prisons.

The 25-year-old was arrested in June - a month after an incident during a night out in Liverpool where he was alleged to have been part of a gang which chased a witness - and held in custody until his release last Thursday.

Woods-Garness, who celebrated his first night of freedom with a bath, admitted he was simply looking forward to getting his life back.

"I'm over the moon to be out," he said..

"It is six months of my life wasted. Six months of my life I'll never get back.

"When you are inside and you know you have done nothing wrong it really plays on your mind.

"I've been to jail and I know I never want to go back.

" thought Wandsworth [prison] was bad but Pentonville was much, much worse.

"I used to think you were innocent until proven guilty. But when you are inside you are treated like all the rest of the people in there.

"You are thrown in alongside murderers and drug dealers - not nice people. They are people that deserve to be in there, but I had done nothing wrong.

"I got threatened by people who had seen stuff in the papers about me. People were wanting to fight me all the time. It is a life changing experience. It was like hell."

United manager Paul Doswell, who has led his team to a money spinning FA Cup second round clash with League One Notts County at Gander Green Lane next month, has always maintained his player's innocence.

The witness, 18, whom Woods-Garness was alleged to have chased, had given evidence which had helped convict Leon Dunkley and Mohammed Smoured, both 22, at their murder trial in April.

The two were convicted and jailed for life for shooting dead 16-year-old Agnes Sina-Inakoju in a Hoxton takeaway.

A month later, Woods-Garness - who is a carer for his mum Angela - was invited to Liverpool by Leyton Orient footballer Elliott Omozusi, who was convicted of attempted revenge along with Shane Drew, 22, and Jamal Francis, 21.

He said: "You always hear people say they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and you are always sceptical.

"I never thought I would say it, but that is exactly how it was. I didn't know the guy we were running after, I didn't know the people who were involved in the murder and I'd never even met the so-called gang members until that night.

"When you are in a city you don't know and the people you are with just run off, it is instinct to go with them.

"I'm devastated for my friend, because I don't believe he has done anything wrong. He has lost his football career.

"It is heartbreaking to think I haven't been able to care for the people I care about.

"My mum has mental health issues and this has hit her really hard. It breaks my heart that I haven't been there for her.

"Before the verdict my heart was beating so fast. You just don't know, which way it is going to go. When I was told not guilty, it was the best feeling in the world. Better than scoring any goal."

Woods-Garness' six months of heaven and hell.

April 25, 2011 - Woods-Garness scores his last goal for Sutton United in a 2-0 win over fierce rivals Carshalton Athletic, a result that helped secure the Ryman Premier League title.

May 15, 2011 - The 25-year-old goes out on a night out with Leyton Orient footballer Elliott Omozusi and a group of others.

June 9, 2011 - The United striker is arrested by police at his home in Islington.

August 19, 2011 - Sutton boss Paul Doswell says he will keep a space in his squad for Woods-Garness after confirming his arrest, which the club had previously kept under wraps claiming he was struggling with an injury picked up in pre-season.

November 17 - The former England schoolboy international is cleared of attempting to take revenge on the key witnesses in a murder trial.