Convicted Thomson waits to learn if he has a future at Hearts

CRAIG Thomson's career at Hearts is hanging in the balance as he awaits a meeting with the club's senior management in the wake of his court conviction for sexual offences against two underage girls.

The 20-year-old defender will be called before Hearts manager Jim Jefferies and managing director David Southern on their return from holiday next week as the Tynecastle club decide what form of disciplinary action to take against their employee. Vladimir Romanov, the Hearts owner, is likely to have the final say in whether the player remains at the club. Thomson was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register on Thursday after pleading guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to two charges of indecent behaviour. He was also fined 4,000 for his lewd, libidinous and indecent behaviour over the internet to two girls aged 12 and 14. He will remain on the register for five years.

The Scotland under-21 international is under contract to Hearts for another two years. A club spokesman issued a brief statement last night, simply confirming that Hearts will conduct their own investigation into Thomson's conduct. "The club will go through the necessary internal procedures relating to the case," said the spokesman. "No further comment will be made at this stage."

PFA Scotland, the players' union, of which Thomson is a member, will not be represented at his meeting with Hearts management but could become involved later, depending on the severity of any punishment imposed by the club. Thomson was initially arrested for the sexual offences last September and in January this year, while awaiting his court appearance, he expressed his gratitude for the support he had received from Hearts. "Football is my life and I will focus on that before anything," said Thomson. "This has been a learning curve. The management and all the staff at Tynecastle have been different class with me. That has helped enormously."

Primarily a right-back, last season saw the Bonnyrigg youngster, who has been on Hearts' books since he was 10, become an established first-team player under Jefferies.

Thomson was regarded as a key member of the Scotland squad for their 2013 European under-21 Championship qualifying campaign, which begins in September, but his burgeoning career with both club and country could now be nipped in the bud as a consequence of his criminal conviction.