Gers star Kenny: My wife was dragged about the car park
Both Millers tell court their friend ‘absolutely did not have a knife’
RANGERS star Kenny Miller has told a court how his wife Laura was injured when she was “dragged about a car park” during a brawl at a restaurant. The striker, 37, gave evidence yesterday during the trial of his close friend William Steele, who denies being in possession of a knife during the incident in Bothwell, Lanarkshire, in September last year. The 36-year-old, of Eaglesham, near Glasgow, also denies allegations he behaved in a threatening and abusive manner while brandishing a blade. Miller told Hamilton Sheriff Court he and Laura left Da Luciano’s after an “incident” inside. He added: “Laura was not injured inside but after what happened outside. She had a cut above her eyes. Her arms and legs were grazed, bruised and scraped as a result of getting dragged about a car park.” Miller said Steele, who they call Billy, arrived five minutes after Laura was attacked to pick up the couple. He denied his friend was brandishing a knife. The footballer told jurors: “He saw my wife’s eye was cut and went to speak to her. He opened the back door and she jumped in. “He asked if I was OK, I jumped in as well and we left. He was there for 30 or 40 seconds. “I have a decent memory, to be fair, so I have a decent recollection of what went on. He absolutely did not have a knife.”
Laura earlier broke down as she told the court she was battered in a brawl after her husband was taunted over losing an Old Firm derby.
The 29-year-old said the couple went to the restaurant after Miller played for Rangers in a 5-1 defeat against Celtic.
She said trouble flared after a man told her to “ask Kenny what the score was”.
Laura told jurors she feared an incident and pleaded with Miller to leave – but he preferred to wait on Steele, at whose home they had arranged to stay over that night.
She claimed violence erupted when a woman with links to Da Luciano’s, Stacey O’Donnell, 28, and her boyfriend came over.
Laura said: “Her boyfriend was asking Kenny to go outside and that he was going to do things, so we got up and left.”
She added a “complete rammy” erupted outside the venue before Steele arrived.
A tearful Laura added: “I was injured, I had a scar on my face, footprints on my face and my leg and my head was cut.
“Kenny was there at that point but it all happened really quickly.
“Almost straight away Billy arrived – it wasn’t long after Kenny had helped me up. Billy got out the car. He said, ‘What has happened to you?’, before I got in the car with Kenny and we left.
“Billy didn’t walk towards anyone and the only person he spoke to was me.
“He absolutely did not have a kitchen knife in his hand and was only there for a couple of minutes.
“I’m not here to do Billy a favour, I’m here to tell the truth.”
The trial continues.