Ferguson could face civil claim

Ferguson arrived back in England on Tuesday

The South African woman whose claim of indecent assault against Sir Alex Ferguson was dismissed could launch a civil action against the Manchester United manager.

Brian Ebden, the fiance of 21-year-old student Nadia Abrahams - who claimed Ferguson touched her thigh during a car journey - said she would consult lawyers on Tuesday.

South African police described the complaint as "ridiculous" and concluded there were no grounds for prosecution.

Ferguson hails rapid resolution

But Ebden, a director of a Cape Town advertising company and co-owner of the Mother City soccer team, told the SAPA news agency that Abrahams was considering suing Ferguson.

That I set this up to make money is putrid, it's disgusting at best

Brian Ebden, fiance of Nadia Abrahams

Asked what course the action might take, Ebden said: "That will be up to the legal counsel to decide and to define, based on all the evidence, once we've got it in place.

"We do now have a material witness who witnessed this, who saw him grab Nadia, but that will come to light shortly."

Ebden admitted Abrahams would be paid by a British newspaper for her story, but insisted it had been offered free to a Cape Town paper before it emerged in Britain.

"That I set this up to make money is putrid, it's disgusting at best," Ebden said.

South African police have decided against taking any action against Abrahams, despite accusing her of wasting their time in investigating the complaint.

"There's no reason for us to suspect that they've committed an offence," said a spokesman for the national director of public prosecutions.

Ferguson has yet to decide whether to sue Abrahams for defamation.

"He hasn't considered the matter yet," Ferguson's lawyer in South Africa, Alex Abercrombie, said.

Profile: Sir Alex Ferguson