Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NHS chief butted ex-footie ace in row over his ex
A SENIOR NHS boss headbutted ex-england football star Tony Dorigo in a jealous rage after his ex-girlfriend left him for the player.
Gareth Senior could be heard shouting, “I knew you were after her”, before launching the attack during a confrontation in an upmarket store.
The 48-year-old IT manager started an 18-month relationship with Claire Joss in April, 2016, after meeting her at work.
But it deteriorated after Senior introduced her to former Leeds and England ace Mr Dorigo, 52, at a music festival.
They broke up shortly before Christmas last year and Senior became suspicious she had been seeing the former Leeds United left-back. He spotted the pair by chance in the Victoria Gate centre in Leeds two months after the split.
He shoved his love rival into a towel display at The White Company before headbutting him in the face in February this year, a court heard. Senior admitted pushing Mr Dorigo when he gave evidence but denied the headbutt. He now faces losing his job after being convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Leeds magistrates court.
Mr Dorigo described how he fell forward after being shoved in the back by Senior. He said Senior then headbutted him to the face.
He added: “I managed to move back or else my nose would have been broken.”
Judge Paul Currer told Senior: “I am very sorry to see a man of your previous good character and good standing coming before the court in circumstances such as this. This represents something of a personal crisis that you went through in the last couple of years.”
Senior, of Leeds, was fined £500 and ordered to pay £100 compensation.
Mr Dorigo was capped 15 times for England and also played for Leeds, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Torino, Derby County and Stoke City.
ON MOMENT OF HEADBUTT