Ex-Hearts striker accused of ex-girlfriend assault and baby kidnap threat

The Frenchman, who was capped by France at under-21 level and now plays for Dumbarton, denies assaulting Laura Kennedy on three sepearte occasions including one using a toy car as a weapon.

Nade also denies battering her dad and leaving him and her mum ‘scared and alarmed’ on Mother’s Day.

Nade, 33, was arrested over the accusations and held in police custody at Helen Street police station in Glasgow, pending his appearance at Paisley Sheriff Court.

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 Miss Kennedy 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” on December 12.

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, 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, in breach of the same section of that Act, 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 her 60-year-old dad 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.

Defence solicitor Aimee Doran said: “I appear on behalf of Mr Nade. He tenders pleas of not guilty to all charges on the complaint and seeks bail.

“He is a professional football player and is employed by Dumbarton Football Club.”

Prosecutor Colin Wilson said: “Part of the alleged conduct is that he said he was going to take [an 11-month-old baby] away on a plane and [the mum of the child] couldn’t do anything about it.

Sheriff Tom Ward then agreed to release Nade, who has also played for Dundee, Raith Rovers, Hamilton Accies, Stranraer and Annan Athletic, on bail with special conditions banning him from approaching or contacting his alleged victims.

As he did so, Sheriff Ward warned him not to breach the special conditions, adding: “If you do that there’s a chance you’ll be remanded in custody - bear that in mind.”

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