Former Hibs star Jordon Forster found guilty of strangling ex and hitting her with bottle

Jordon Forster, 31, assaulted victim Jade Steven by pushing her up against a wall and throttling her and also lashing out at her with the bottle during a violent bust up at her flat.

Forster regularly smashed household items during fiery arguments, repeatedly made derogatory comments to her and attempted to control what she wore and could eat and drink while they were a couple.

He also racially abused and attacked a child by pushing him on the body causing him to fall to the ground.

Forster denied all the allegations but was found guilty by a jury of five offences carried out between 2016 and 2021 following a six day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Alexander Lawrie

Jade, 35, told the court she met Forster at an Edinburgh city centre nightclub while he was playing for Hibernian in 2015 and he moved into her flat within a few of weeks of them meeting. She said within months the relationship became “toxic” with Forster acting aggressively towards her and calling her derogatory names such as “a fat slag”.

She described several incidents where the burly defender smashed dishes and damaged walls within her flat during his out of control rages.

Jade told the jury Forster had assaulted her on several occasions including striking her to the head with a bottle during a violent row at her Edinburgh flat. She also described a second incident where Forster had pinned her up against a wall by the throat and compressed her neck.

Jade described the footballer as “unpredictable” and “nasty” and said he “liked to be in control” when they were together.

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She told the court she used make up to hide her bruises and described living with him during lockdown in 2020 as “the worst time of my life”.

The jury found the serious assault charges to be to Jade’s injury and danger to her life.

Forster told the court he was currently working as a courier driver and admitted he and Jade had argued but claimed he was never violent towards her.

He denied striking Jade to the face with a bottle instead claiming he had accidentally hit her with a plastic milk carton after she had grabbed his arm as they argued. He also denied attacking a child.

Following the jury’s verdict, Sheriff Christopher Dickson released Forster on bail and deferred sentence for the preparation of social work reports to next month.

Forster was also convicted of abusive conduct towards former partner Alicia Dyet when he appeared at the capital’s sheriff court in July 2023. He admitted acting aggressively towards her, repeatedly turning up at her home and workplace and accessing her phone without permission.

Forster also shouted, swore and called the woman derogatory names and on one occasion seized her by the arm, restrained her and threw her on a bed, all during seven months of abuse.

He was banned from contacting Ms Dyet for 10 years and ordered to attend sessions with the domestic abuse organisation Caledonian Mens Programme. He was also sentenced to a 200 hour unpaid work order and placed on a two year supervision order.

The defender played for Hibernian 79 times and scored six goals between 2012 and 2017. He had loan spells with Berwick Rangers, East Fife and Plymouth Argyle before turning out for Cheltenham Town and Dundee. Forster moved to Scottish League One side Kelty Hearts and later signed for Lowland League club Tranent Juniors but was sacked following his conviction in 2023.