Former Leeds United boss David Haigh, who is currently imprisoned in Dubai, has been acquitted of posting slanderous comments on Twitter.

Haigh was first imprisoned in May 2014. Last August he was was sentenced to two years in prison for financial misappropriation in Dubai, after he was convicted of fraud during Gulf Finance House (GFH) Capital's – where Haigh was previously general counsel – ownership and sale of Leeds United in 2014.

He had been expected to return to the UK last November after serving 18 months of his sentence, including, but has remained in Dubai accused of sending an abusive tweet about a business partner.

He has now been acquitted of sending the tweet after arguing he could not have sent it in Dubai and his account was managed by people in the UK.

A spokesperson for Haigh told the BBC he was now expected to return to the UK for Easter.

Haigh's worldwide assets were frozen on his arrest and this has previously presented problems in him paying his legal fees.

Stephenson Harwood had represented Haigh in Dubai but came off the record last May after racking up over £1m in unpaid fees.

The firm attempted to have the freezing order on Haigh's assets lifted at a hearing in the Dubai International Financial Centre courts so that some of the fees and expenses the firm had incurred could be paid, but it was unsuccessful.

The firm was understood to have been acting for Haigh on a billable hours basis since access to the ex-Leeds United managing director, who has been in prison in Dubai since May last year, had been limited.

Haigh is currently being represented by Michel Chalhoub, managing partner of International Counsels.