ON HIS ORDEAL AFTER PUB BRAWL My family and soap pals helped me survive court hell STAR DESPERATE FOR EMMERDALE RETURN
USED WEDDING FUNDS TO CLEAR HIS NAME
old b*****d.” CCTV showed Mr Potts throwing punches before alleging Mark had taken cocaine.
Mark said: “I had a nose injury, he punched me two times on the nose. To try and remove himself from the contact he probably thought it was a great idea to say that.”
Speaking about the night of his engagement party, Mark said: “There were about ten of us, I’d been there a few hours and had shared three bottles of prosecco. I was happily merry.
“I didn’t notice them until his girlfriend made these comments.
“He called my daughter a ‘slag’ and Laura a ‘stupid f***ing woman’.
“He said he had recorded it for Youtube and I just wanted to see it deleted. When you have children no-one has the right to tape them, to threaten to use it. You always protect your children.
“It’s been reported the lad was her boyfriend, but he wasn’t. It was a friend we met there. They were there swaying, like they were doing a dance.
“If they were being salacious I would have pulled them up, but they were just in high spirits. Laura was even taking pictures of them on her phone. They were just being teenagers.”
Mark told of the impact on his fiancée, saying: “One week after our engagement Laura should have been floating on air, making plans, looking for venues, drawing up guest lists.
“But for over a year she didn’t get that opportunity. It took all the enjoyment away.” Speaking of the impact on his own life, Mark said: “I’ve never been a Friday night in the pub fella, but we did like to go out every now and then for meals.
“But for a year I wasn’t going out because I was assuming people would be negative and judgemental.
“I’ve been a kind of respected geezer, suddenly I’m being tainted with this vile image. But I have come out of the other end wiser.
“The support and love I’ve had will give me strength. There’s also the discipline of keeping calm while dealing with what’s going on around you.
“I’m a very lucky person, loved by family and friends and with a job I love. It’s an incredible place to be.”
Mark was found not guilty of affray, unlawful wounding and assault.
He said: “I’m really glad everyone’s true colours have been shown.
“There were moments I didn’t feel brave enough to go out. We’ve had a year of anxiety we didn’t deserve. Now I’m looking forward to every week.”
And Mark would love to return to Emmerdale after his character Daz was written out in January.
He said: “It would be my dream to return. It’s just down the road, my lady works there and that Yorkshire TV building is part of my history.”