Monday 11 July 2016

NOT GUILTY: Ex-Footballer Andy Roberts Cleared Of Assaulting TV Wife

100% Innocent: Roberts
Footballers Wives star Lee-Anne Roberts called police to her £1.8m house, claiming her former soccer star ex Andy assaulted her three days after she failed to have him booted out of the marital home.

The couple literally aired their dirty laundry in public with the 42 year-old actress and television consultant claiming retired midfielder Andy Roberts knocked her to the floor with a linen basket.

She pressed charges against the 42 year-old ex-Millwall, Crystal Palace and Wimbledon player, but he was cleared last Friday by a court, which ruled her evidence was "inconsistent."

The pair finally split in January after seventeen years together and a Family Court judge ruled Andy could live at The Georgian House, St. Paul's Cray Road, Chislehurst three days a week and Lee-Anne the remainder.

She called police to the five-bedroom detached property at midnight on April 9, claiming Andy attacked her with the plastic basket after returning home from an alcohol fuelled all-day Millwall FC tribute.

Just three days earlier she had been denied an occupation order, which would have banned Andy from the house they share with their daughter 12, and son, aged 10.

"Inconsistent": Lee-Anne
Lee-Ann, who appeared in ten episodes of the ITV drama after initially being hired as a consultant, told Bromley Magistrates Court: "He put his face in my face, gritted his teeth, and said: 'Piss off.'

"There was a big plastic washing basket filled to the top at the bottom of the stairs and he's picked it up and slammed it into my chest as a sort of ram.

"I've fallen back onto the stairs and smashed my head on the wall and I screamed.

"I told him: 'You've just broken your non-molestation order' which was from a previous attack and he laughed in my face."

Lee-Anne, who continues to work full-time in the television industry, conceded the non-molestation order was not in place at the time, but made other complaints about their relationship.

"He had many affairs during our marriage. His career came to and end because of an affair with a team mate's wife.

"It's been an abusive relationship for many years."

She told the court her daughter was upset by a text Andy received from his new girlfriend, which referring to her, read: 'Beat the bastard.'

Luxury: The Georgian House
Andy had spent that Saturday with his children watching his old club Millwall's 3 - 1 victory over Shrewsbury Town. "He'd been drinking all day, that's what my children told me."

Lee-Ann admitted she was upset about Andy having a new girlfriend. "I was devastated after fifteen years of marriage that my husband moved on so quickly."

She suffered no visible injuries, but told the court: "I had a bump on the back of my head."

Andy said the couple agreed they could date other people last January, but he later discovered Lee-Anne was already having an affair.

He told the court his ex disapproved of his new girlfriend. "She was very upset and angry."

Staircase: Scene Of 'Assault' That Never Was
His football career was ended prematurely by a serious knee injury, not an affair, said Roberts, who now works for his family's travel agency business.

When he returned home that night his daughter turned on him. "She gets very angry because she has been told by her mother that I have split up the family.

"I wanted to get away from the confrontation. In her mind she's not the number one girl and is very angry.

"I was in the house three minutes, Lee-Anne said our daughter was angry about the text and then called the police.

"Three days earlier she had tried to boot me out of the house with the occupation order."

Shirty: Reminders Of Football Career
Officers arrived and arrested Andy, who told them: "I can't believe this. She just makes a phone call and this happens."

He was quizzed the next morning and said: "It's a waste of police time."

The Dartford-born former England Under-21 international, whose transfers total £4.25m was found not guilty of one count of assaulting Lee-Anne.

Magistrate Mr. Kevin McNicholson announced: "There is doubt," and said Lee-Anne's evidence had "inconsistencies."

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