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| Danny Simpson to miss out on Leicester title celebrations after curfew order | Danny Simpson to miss out on Leicester title celebrations after curfew order |
| (4 months later) | |
| The Leicester City full-back Danny Simpson will miss part of the title-winning celebrations and the club’s end-of-season party after a judge ordered he must serve a curfew immediately for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. | The Leicester City full-back Danny Simpson will miss part of the title-winning celebrations and the club’s end-of-season party after a judge ordered he must serve a curfew immediately for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. |
| Simpson, 29, had only done half of the 300 hours he was sentenced to last June for assaulting Stephanie Ward, the mother of his child, in a row at their house in Worsley, Greater Manchester, in December 2014. | Simpson, 29, had only done half of the 300 hours he was sentenced to last June for assaulting Stephanie Ward, the mother of his child, in a row at their house in Worsley, Greater Manchester, in December 2014. |
| His lawyer Gary Ryan asked Manchester magistrates’ court for the rest of his sentence to be revoked and be replaced by a fine. | His lawyer Gary Ryan asked Manchester magistrates’ court for the rest of his sentence to be revoked and be replaced by a fine. |
| Ryan said the press had twice discovered where Simpson had been doing his unpaid work in the community and this “intrusion” had made it impossible for him to complete the hours. | Ryan said the press had twice discovered where Simpson had been doing his unpaid work in the community and this “intrusion” had made it impossible for him to complete the hours. |
| Simpson shook his head in the dock as the District Judge Alexandra Simmonds accepted the reasons for him not completing the unpaid work were not his fault, but suggested a 21-day, 10pm to 6am curfew be put in place instead as the defendant had so much money a fine would be “no punishment”. | Simpson shook his head in the dock as the District Judge Alexandra Simmonds accepted the reasons for him not completing the unpaid work were not his fault, but suggested a 21-day, 10pm to 6am curfew be put in place instead as the defendant had so much money a fine would be “no punishment”. |
| The player’s lawyer then argued a curfew would be especially “onerous” as his team still had one game to play, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, followed that night by a function at a London hotel, then an open-top bus tour of Leicester on Monday and a trip to Thailand starting on Tuesday. | The player’s lawyer then argued a curfew would be especially “onerous” as his team still had one game to play, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, followed that night by a function at a London hotel, then an open-top bus tour of Leicester on Monday and a trip to Thailand starting on Tuesday. |
| Judge Simmonds though was unmoved and told Simpson he must start his curfew immediately. She told the defendant: “I’m not satisfied a curfew would be unworkable despite the fact that the defendant will obviously be inconvenienced. | Judge Simmonds though was unmoved and told Simpson he must start his curfew immediately. She told the defendant: “I’m not satisfied a curfew would be unworkable despite the fact that the defendant will obviously be inconvenienced. |
| “The purpose of the order is to restrict the liberty of Mr Simpson as punishment for the offence for which he was convicted. This was an offence of domestic violence and the courts take domestic violence very seriously. You will have to serve your sentence. You will need to be in tonight at 10pm.” | “The purpose of the order is to restrict the liberty of Mr Simpson as punishment for the offence for which he was convicted. This was an offence of domestic violence and the courts take domestic violence very seriously. You will have to serve your sentence. You will need to be in tonight at 10pm.” |
| Simpson may appeal to a crown court judge on Thursday afternoon. Otherwise he must observe a 10pm to 6am curfew at his home in Swinton, Salford, for the next 21 days. He will be monitored electronically by an ankle tag and if he breaks the order could be brought back to court. | Simpson may appeal to a crown court judge on Thursday afternoon. Otherwise he must observe a 10pm to 6am curfew at his home in Swinton, Salford, for the next 21 days. He will be monitored electronically by an ankle tag and if he breaks the order could be brought back to court. |
| Simpson had been convicted of assault after a police officer called to his house found him sat on top of his ex with his hands around her neck, on the evening of 29 December 2014. | Simpson had been convicted of assault after a police officer called to his house found him sat on top of his ex with his hands around her neck, on the evening of 29 December 2014. |
| He denied the offence but was found guilty after a trial. He indicated he would appeal against his conviction but later this was dropped. Simpson was sentenced to 300 hours’ unpaid work on June 15 last year and has completed 145 hours to date. | He denied the offence but was found guilty after a trial. He indicated he would appeal against his conviction but later this was dropped. Simpson was sentenced to 300 hours’ unpaid work on June 15 last year and has completed 145 hours to date. |
| Ryan told the court that press reporting had twice forced Simpson to abandon the placements he was at to complete the unpaid work order. Simpson first began working in an Age UK charity shop in Eccles, parking his £200,000 Lamborghini round the corner. This work placement then attracted press attention and photographers, Ryan said. | Ryan told the court that press reporting had twice forced Simpson to abandon the placements he was at to complete the unpaid work order. Simpson first began working in an Age UK charity shop in Eccles, parking his £200,000 Lamborghini round the corner. This work placement then attracted press attention and photographers, Ryan said. |
| Purple Futures, a contracted out, privately run community rehabilitation company handling Simpson’s probation, then suspended that placement as “no longer suitable or viable”, Ryan told the court. | Purple Futures, a contracted out, privately run community rehabilitation company handling Simpson’s probation, then suspended that placement as “no longer suitable or viable”, Ryan told the court. |
| Simpson was then placed working at the HQ of Purple Futures, working with people with learning difficulties, doing eight hours a week, four hours each on Mondays and Thursdays, which had a “positive and humbling” effect on the defendant, Ryan said. But again the press found out where he was, the court heard, and reporters interviewed other offenders doing work alongside Simpson. | Simpson was then placed working at the HQ of Purple Futures, working with people with learning difficulties, doing eight hours a week, four hours each on Mondays and Thursdays, which had a “positive and humbling” effect on the defendant, Ryan said. But again the press found out where he was, the court heard, and reporters interviewed other offenders doing work alongside Simpson. |
| Ryan said no suitable alternative placement could be found. “For no fault of his own he can’t serve the sentence that the court imposed upon him,” he said. | Ryan said no suitable alternative placement could be found. “For no fault of his own he can’t serve the sentence that the court imposed upon him,” he said. |
| Ryan said Simpson, despite being a footballer, was also “only an employee” and “at the beck and call” of his club. He said the defendant was expected to travel to London with his team-mates on Saturday for their last game of the season with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. | Ryan said Simpson, despite being a footballer, was also “only an employee” and “at the beck and call” of his club. He said the defendant was expected to travel to London with his team-mates on Saturday for their last game of the season with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. |
| There was then a function planned in a hotel in London and a further function on Monday which Ryan did not disclose the details of in open court and instead wrote the details down and passed them to the judge. | There was then a function planned in a hotel in London and a further function on Monday which Ryan did not disclose the details of in open court and instead wrote the details down and passed them to the judge. |
| On Monday Simpson was expected to be on the open-top bus champions parade in Leicester and the next day fly out to Thailand with the club’s owners. He said Simpson simply did not know what his ongoing commitments would be. | On Monday Simpson was expected to be on the open-top bus champions parade in Leicester and the next day fly out to Thailand with the club’s owners. He said Simpson simply did not know what his ongoing commitments would be. |