Lesbian teacher accused of breaking ex-girlfriend’s jaw in ‘slag’ row has been cleared
A teacher accused of breaking her ex-girlfriend’s jaw after she revealed their lesbian relationship to her mother has been cleared.
26-year-old Alexa Collier was accused of attacking Nicola Lees, 28.
The couple had been in a same-sex relationship for several years, but Ms Collier did not want their relationship to be public.
Ms Lees became frustrated at having to keep their love private, deciding to turn up at the home of her partner and mother.
A doorstep argument broke out when Gill Collier, 53, called Miss Lees a “slut”, a “slag” and a “tramp” in the furious street row, it was alleged.
The victim responded: “I’m a tramp? Your daughter was in a hotel with me shagging!”
Collier and Miss Lees then broke into a street scuffle, it was claimed.
Ms Collier was alleged to have punched Miss Lees in the face with such force that it broke her jaw, requiring surgery using screws and a metal plate.
Miss Lees said: “We were together for three years and split up and we were still seeing each other, it was on and off. She never made it clear she didn’t want to be in a relationship with me.
“Alexa was telling me not to tell her mum and we were keeping it as a secret. She was scared of coming out to her parents.
“If she didn’t want a relationship why was she with me for three years and still seeing me for a year.
“Alexa was still seeing me, still texting me and going to hotel rooms. Clearly she was just doing it to keep me there hanging on.”
Miss Lees attended North Manchester General Hospital after the incident, where her face was x-rayed and underwent surgery.
She had to have a metal plate and three screws fitted to her lower jaw, which held her lower teeth in place following the altercation.
Miss Collier said Miss Lees became ‘obsessed’ with their relationship and wanted her family to know.
During the trial, Miss Collier said: “She became obsessed with our relationship and wanted my parents to know.
“I felt that I wasn’t quite ready to tell that, I knew they would accept me and still love me but because the relationship was so off and on, I didn’t want to tell them in case it was off again.”
When the court found he rnot guilty, Ms Collier’s family cheered from the public gallery.
Speaking after the verdict, she said: “I am glad that justice has now been done and the jury were able to see this matter for what it was.
“I thank them for bringing the not guilty verdict that they did.
“After two years of suffering, during which I lost my job due to the false allegations, and suffered great mental anguish, and we, both myself and my family, can now put this behind us and I can get my life back on track.
“I just want to thank my family and friends for their continued support.”