Motherwell manager on trial accused of assaulting partner

The partner of Motherwell FC manager Stephen Robinson wrote to prosecutors saying he should not have been charged with assaulting her, a court has heard.

Robyn Lauchlan’s letter said the incident leading to his arrest was a “misunderstanding” as he was trying to ensure her safety.

The letter was read out as Robinson, 45, went on trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court accused of assaulting Ms Lauchlan on Waverley Bridge in the city on December 13 last year.

Robinson is accused of grabbing her, pushing and pulling her and pinning her against a fence.

The football manager, who denies both charges, is further accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and acting aggressively.

Robinson’s lawyer, Susan Duff, read part of Ms Lauchlan’s letter to the procurator fiscal service to court.

It stated she was writing to “advise you of a misunderstanding which has taken place” leading to the case.

She wrote: “Under no circumstances did my partner do anything to justify his arrest given that he was trying to secure my safety.”

Ms Lauchlan said she was intoxicated after having four glasses of wine in a bar in Edinburgh and became distressed after a man who had been speaking to Robinson there told her to shut up and Robinson did not intervene.

She said she stormed away and was refusing to go to the station with Robinson.

“In my emotional state I aggressively accused Stephen of not defending me,” she wrote.

“At this point Stephen was mortified by my dramatic overreaction to a minor issue and followed me through the (Christmas) market to ensure my safety.”

She added: “He took my hands to calm me down. Under no circumstances did Stephen grab me with aggressive intent.”

Ms Lauchlan wrote that she left, later meeting Robinson in Waverley Station.

She added: “I was so relieved to see him and I just wanted to cuddle him and go home.”

Ms Lauchlan said she saw two girls spot the incident and said she felt “guilty and humiliated to have put my partner in that situation”, given how they would perceive it.

She wrote she realises Robinson chose to ignore the man in the bar to avoid creating an atmosphere and she should not have expected him to apologise.

Witness Felicity Underdown, 19, told the court she saw the pair at around 7.30pm on December 13 outside the Waverley Bridge entrance to the Christmas market.

She said the woman looked “terrified” as Robinson “caged” her against a fence with his arms, “screaming in her face”.

Ms Underdown said: “She was crying, there were tears all down her face and she was shaking.”

She said Robinson grabbed the woman and pulled her and was swearing but she could not recall what was being said.

Ms Underdown said she shouted: “Get your f****** hands off her” at Robinson but they paid no notice.

She alerted security guards who called police.

Questioned by Ms Duff, who read Ms Lauchlan’s letter to her, the witness agreed if Ms Lauchlan disagreed with her version of events she could be “mistaken” and Ms Lauchlan’s version would be the truth.

The trial before Sheriff John Cook continues.