Gers star’s pal in clear on threats of violence & extortion
Miller in court as friend walks free
A FRIEND of Rangers star Kenny Miller walked free from court yesterday after being cleared of threatening violence.
William Steele, 36, also faced claims he had a knife in a restaurant car park after Miller and his wife Laura had been caught up in a fight hours after an Old Firm game.
But Steele walked free after a jury found a knife possession charge not proven and found him not guilty of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner in September last year.
His trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court had earlier seen prosecutors drop extortion charges alleging he demanded £95,000 from two men in the wake of trouble flaring at a Lanarkshire restaurant.
Miller, 37, and his wife were in court supporting Steele as the verdicts were read out.
Laura, 29, had told the jury she was left with footprints on her face and scarring after being attacked at Da Luciano’s in Bothwell.
She said she had been there with her husband after he played in a 5-1 defeat for Rangers against Celtic.
Laura claimed violence erupted after a row with a woman in the restaurant. She insisted Steele, of Eaglesham near Glasgow, was not involved in any wrongdoing.
She told the court: “Billy didn’t walk towards anyone and the only person he spoke to was me.”
Ibrox ace Miller also told the jury his friend had done nothing wrong in the wake of the fight.
Sheriff Ray Small told Steele: “You have heard the verdict, you have been acquitted and you are free to go.”