Former Manchester United player Danny Simpson has been found guilty of throttling his ex-girlfriend, and could be facing jail according to the Daily Mirror.
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The 28-year-old was found by police officers ‘straddling’ Stephanie Ward with both hands around her throat at 1.30am on December 29 last year. Simpson claims that he was actually standing up and arguing when the police entered. Despite this the defender pleaded not guilty to the charges and shouted, “Steph, tell them I didn’t do anything,” as he was led from the court.
The first officer on the scene described it as: “I could hear screams and crying and then silence. I could then hear a choking sound. I entered the house through a small hallway and to my right I could instantly see a small female lying in a prone position facing up. She was about three metres away from me.
“I saw a male who I now know to be Daniel Simpson straddling across her with his hands firmly placed around her neck. He was sitting on her on his knees. I initially heard choking when in entered the room. He had both hands around her throat.
“He seemed startled by my sudden presence. I had to drag him by his arm. I then arrested him on suspicion of assault and he angrily demanded that the female didn’t say anything and he said, ‘tell them I wasn’t doing anything’, which was more of a demand.”
Simpson countered however: “As a mum and dad if we can be amicable for our little girl we want to be. We opened presents together as a family on Christmas Day and it was nice. I had a game on the 28th so I said we could go for dinner and she could get a babysitter.
“We had a bottle of wine with the meal and then in the hotel bar we ordered drinks but didn’t drink them. I wouldn’t say I was drunk, but I was tipsy. We were arguing over nothing. It was over some messages years ago.
“I also spent a lot of money on her Christmas present on shoes for her and I was saying I wanted them back. From me trying to get the shoes I took a hit off her. I remember her foot kick at me as I was grabbing the shoes.”
Asked by solicitor Sean Minihan whether he strangled Miss Ward at all, he continued: “No. It was a matter of seconds and I was on the floor face down. I didn’t think she deserved she shoes. She was on the sofa and I was trying to get them off her.”
Judge Alexandra Simmons rejected the Leicester City man’s account as “unworthy of belief” during the case. The pair had apparently been enjoying a Chinese together after spending Christmas as a family with their three-year-old daughter. However, things took a turn when Ward accused Simpson of texting another girl during while thy were together.
Once they were home the situation worsened, and a 999 call was played to the jury. In it Ward can be heard saying, “get off me, get off me,” and Simpson also exclaiming, “I’m bleeding,” after a struggle. She claims that the footballer had become more angry after demanding she returned a pair of shoes he had given her for Christmas.