Football star faces baby ‘kidnap’ charge

Footballer Christian Nade appeared in court yesterday accused of repeatedly battering his ex- girlfriend and threatening to kidnap an 11-month-old baby.

The former Hear t s striker, who now plays for Dumbarton, denies assaulting Laura Kennedy on three separate occasions, and using a toy car as a weapon to beat her with.

He also denies battering Ms Kennedy’s father Lawrence and leaving him and her mum Ann scared and alarmed on Sunday, which was Mother’s Day.

Nade, 33, was arrested over the claims and held in police custody at Helen Street police station, in Glasgow, ahead of yesterday’s Paisley Sheriff Court appearance.

He appeared handcuffed in the dock yesterday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to an alleged three- month reign of terror.

He faces six charges, which are all said to have been committed between December 5 last year and March 11 this year, at addresses in Renfrew.

He denies assaulting Ms Kennedy at an address in Kirkaig Avenue, Renfrew, by striking her on the head to her injury on December 5.

A second assault charge states he struck her on the head with “a boxed toy car to her injury” at the same address on December 12.

And on February 12 he is said to have assaulted her to her injury at the property by striking her on the head.

P ro s e c u t o r s claim the alleged assaults are aggravated by involving abuse of his partner, contrary to the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016.

He also denies behaving in a threatening or abusive way towards her, which placed her in a state of fear and alarm, by shouting and swearing at her and acting in an aggressive manner towards her, and threatening to kidnap a child.

This is said to have happened on various occasions between December 5 and February 2.

He also denies placing her mum and dad, Ann and Lawrence Kennedy, in a state of fear an alarm, by acting in an aggressive and intimidating manner towards them at a property in Tay Avenue, Renfrew, on Mother’s Day.

And he denies a final charge of assaulting 60-yearold Mr Lawrence to his injury by pushing him in to a high chair, going head to head with him, punching him on the head, causing him to hit his head off a window and fall to the ground, and punching and striking him on the head.

Sheriff Tom Ward agreed to release Nade on bail with special conditions banning him from approaching or contacting his alleged victims.

Nade is due to go on trial in May, with a pre-trial hearing scheduled for April.