Ex-Sky presenter Keys’ daughter in court for ‘harassing’ his ‘lover’

THE daughter of UK TV soccer presenter Richard Keys bombarded a former friend – who allegedly had a fling with her father – with abusive text messages, a court heard yesterday.

Jemma Keys, 32, is accused of harassing lawyer Lucie Rose, who reportedly spent two nights with the former Sky Sports journalist while his wife Julia, 57, battled cancer. Keys has always publicly denied the affair.

Actress Jemma admitted sending the messages to Ms Rose, 28, when she appeared before magistrates in London yesterday.

However, she denied harassment and claimed she was mentally ill at the time.

If found guilty, she faces up to six months in jail.

The court heard that Ms Keys allegedly sent ‘a number’ of Ex-pals: Jemma and Ms Rose threatening and abusive texts to Ms Rose between October and December of this year.

She was granted bail on condition that she does not contact Ms Rose. A trial date was set for March next year.

Jonathan Black, defending, said there was a ‘complex background’ to the case.

The court heard that Ms Keys, who starred in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, was sent a harassment warning about her contact with Ms Rose.

However, she claims that she did not receive it.

Her father resigned in disgrace from his £500,000 (€563,000) role at Sky Sports in 2011 after he and pundit Andy Gray had made sexist comments about a female match official, Sian Massey.

It is understood that Ms Rose, who is now a private equity lawyer, became friends with Keys in Qatar.

Her family had moved to Doha, and in 2013 Mr Keys was offered €470,000 to be the face of the Qatar sports channel beIN.

In January of this year, Ms Rose and Mr Keys, 60, were pictured strolling arm-in-arm close to the five-star hotel in London where they were staying.

At the time, his wife, who has thyroid cancer, said she had no idea that her husband was back in Britain.

A month later, Mrs Keys told the Mail about the moment she realised her husband was cheating. It is understood that she has since filed for divorce.

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