Hearts fan’s ex tells of verdict fury

THE former girlfriend of the Hearts fan cleared of assaulting Neil Lennon has hit out at the justice system and claimed that he was also let off by the courts for attacking her while pregnant with their child.

Laura Wilson was disgusted when John Wilson was cleared of assaulting the Celtic manager at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday following the incident during an SPL match at Tynecastle.

It was a double blow for the mother-of-five from Drylaw as two years earlier, Wilson escaped with a £120 fine after she claimed he headbutted her during a furious row while she was pregnant with their two-year-old daughter Cerys.

She said: “He got away with attacking me and the same has happened after what he did to Neil Lennon. Where is the justice? He attacked a pregnant woman in front of three of her hysterical kids. He’s a disgrace.”

Laura, 29, said the couple were overjoyed when she fell pregnant after dating for just three months.

But she claimed that Wilson’s binge drinking led to him beating her up twice during rows.

Laura claimed her ex-partner first subjected her to a sickening attack, which she said left her and their unborn child in danger, in December 2008.

She forgave him but said 26-year-old Wilson then went AWOL on Christmas Day. When he turned up 48 hours later, Laura claimed he hit her again when she plucked up the courage to tell him their relationship was over.

She claimed: “He grabbed me by the hood of my coat as I was at the front door and threw me against the wall.

“I don’t know what he was saying but he headbutted me.

“I just remember sliding down the wall — I was nearly five months pregnant at the time.

“He pushed me full force against the stair bannister and I landed on my stomach. The police arrived at that point, which was lucky for me. He could have hurt me more.

The Lennon assault charge against Wilson was found not proven by a jury at Edinburgh Sheriff Court this week. Millions of TV viewers witnessed the unemployed former labourer run on to the pitch during the Hearts v Celtic game in May, and lunge at the Parkhead manager.

Laura said she wasn’t surprised to see Wilson being arrested by police officers at Tynecastle. Although Wilson, from Edinburgh, was cleared of assaulting the Hoops boss and calling him a “fenian b*******”, he was convicted of conducting himself in a disorderly manner, running on to the pitch, running at the away team dug out, shouting, swearing, causing further disturbance to the crowd there and breaching the peace.

Wilson was remanded in custody and will be sentenced later this month.

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