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Ian Gough found guilty of assaulting ex-girlfriend Ian Gough found guilty of assaulting ex-girlfriend
(about 5 hours later)
Welsh international rugby star Ian Gough has been found guilty of attacking his ex-girlfriend, Sophia Cahill, just days after she got engaged to pop star Dane Bowers. The Welsh international rugby player Ian Gough has been found guilty of attacking his ex-girlfriend, Sophia Cahill, days after she got engaged to pop star Dane Bowers. Cahill, a beauty queen and former Miss Wales, choked back tears as she told how Gough shoved her into the passenger door of his campervan as he arrived late to drop their two-year-old son Gabriel off.
Cahill, a beauty queen and former Miss Wales, choked back tears as she told how Gough shoved her into the passenger door of his campervan as he arrived late to drop their two-year-old son Gabriel off. She said she was "shocked and upset" and fled back into her home in tears after the attack on the night of 5 January.
She said she was "shocked and upset" and fled back into her home in tears after the attack on the night of 5 January this year. Cahill chose to give evidence behind a blue curtain at London's Croydon magistrates court so that she did not have to face her ex-boyfriend.
Cahill chose to give evidence behind a blue curtain at London's Croydon magistrates court so she didn't have to come face to face with her ex-boyfriend.
She told how she had become "really worried" after Gough was more than an hour late dropping off their son and had failed to return some of her calls when she tried to ask where he was.She told how she had become "really worried" after Gough was more than an hour late dropping off their son and had failed to return some of her calls when she tried to ask where he was.
When he arrived in the rain at 9.15pm she went to the car and tried to reach in to get Gabriel out, but she claimed he grabbed and pushed her against the van. When he arrived in the rain at 9.15pm, she went to the car and tried to reach in to get Gabriel out, but she claimed he grabbed and pushed her against the van.
Recounting her ordeal, she said: "I went out to collect my son. It was raining so I went out to the van. I expected Ian to get out but he was on his phone as if he was texting.Recounting her ordeal, she said: "I went out to collect my son. It was raining so I went out to the van. I expected Ian to get out but he was on his phone as if he was texting.
"I was standing there for a few seconds. There were no obvious signs he was going to get out. It looked as if he was mocking me because I was standing out in the rain. "I was standing there for a few seconds. There were no obvious signs he was going to get out. It looked as if he was mocking me because I was standing out in the rain. I opened the passenger door and Ian just stormed around the front of the van. I was a little bit taken aback but I wanted to get Gabriel out of his car seat."
"I opened the passenger door and Ian just stormed around the front of the van. The mother of two said that when she reached in to get her son, Gough grabbed her shoulder and pushed her. She said: "He had the front of my shoulder and he just flung me back."
"I was a little bit taken aback but I wanted to get Gabriel out of his car seat." She said Gough told her to "get away" as he attacked her. "I staggered back", she added. "I said 'No, Ian, it's fine, I can get him. And then he got me by the shoulder and flung me and I went into the side of the door."
The mother-of-two said that as she reached in to get her son Gough grabbed her shoulder and pushed her.
She said: "He had the front of my shoulder and he just flung me back."
She said Gough told her "Get away" as he attacked her.
"I staggered back", she added. "I said 'No Ian, it's fine I can get him. And then he got me by the shoulder and flung me and I went into the side of the door."
She said Gough took Gabriel out and silently handed him to Cahill before driving off.She said Gough took Gabriel out and silently handed him to Cahill before driving off.
The model said she was "shocked and upset" and fled back to her house in tears where her fiance Bowers, who she became engaged to over Christmas, was waiting for her. The model said she was "shocked and upset" and fled back to her house in tears where her fiance, Bowers, who she became engaged to over Christmas, was waiting for her.
The former Another Level star sent an angry text to Gough which read: "Did you just lay your f****** hands on Sophie (sic)?" The former Another Level star sent an angry text to Gough which read: "Did you just lay your fucking hands on Sophie [sic]?"
The singer told how he had seen the attack from the window of their home. The singer told how he had seen the attack from the window of their home. He said: "He grabbed Sophie and moved her away from the car. It was forceful enough that I wondered … I couldn't hear what was said. But in my eyes he had no reason or permission to grab her and move her out of the way."
He said: "He grabbed Sophie (sic) and moved her away from the car. It was forceful enough that I wondered ... I couldn't hear what was said. Just a few days before the alleged attack Cahill had been in a car accident and suffered whiplash which required hospital treatment. She told magistrates that Gough's attack made her injuries worse. But Gough insisted he physically could not attack Cahill because he had a calf injury and accused the brunette model of swearing at him and attacking his car.
"But in my eyes he had no reason or permission to grab her and move her out of the way." He said: "Sophie was still at the window and punched the window and was shouting and swearing profusely at me and punching the wing mirror on the side of the van, which caved in. The last thing I could see as I was driving off was her holding the baby in her left arm with her finger stuck up at me, still swearing."
Just a few days before the alleged attack Cahill had been in a car accident and suffered whiplash which required hospital treatment.
And she told magistrates that Gough's attack made her injuries "worse". But Gough insisted he physically could not attack Cahill because he had a calf injury and accused the brunette model of swearing at him and attacking his car.
He said: "Sophie was still at the window and punched the window and was shouting and swearing profusely at me and punching the wing mirror on the side of the van which caved in."
He added: "The last thing I could see as I was driving off was her holding the baby in her left arm with her finger stuck up at me still swearing."
Cahill and Bowers had got engaged over the Christmas period little more than a week before.
Gough was found guilty of assault by beating at the house in the private street Kingswood Way in South Croydon, London.Gough was found guilty of assault by beating at the house in the private street Kingswood Way in South Croydon, London.
Wearing a black suit and light blue open-collar shirt, the rugby star, who lives in Swansea, shook his head and puffed out as the verdict was delivered.Wearing a black suit and light blue open-collar shirt, the rugby star, who lives in Swansea, shook his head and puffed out as the verdict was delivered.
Speaking outside court, Malcolm Gough, the rugby player's father, said they were "strongly disappointed with what the magistrates have just come out with". Speaking outside court, Malcolm Gough, the rugby player's father, said they were "strongly disappointed with what the magistrates have just come out with". "We totally disagree with it and are taking it further, as far as we can go," he said. "It's a travesty of justice."
"We totally disagree with it and are taking it further, as far as we can go," he said. "It's a travesty of justice."
Chairman of the bench Terry Carpenter ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing until 26 August at Croydon magistrates court.Chairman of the bench Terry Carpenter ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing until 26 August at Croydon magistrates court.
Gough made 64 appearances for the Wales rugby union team and currently plays for Newport Dragons.Gough made 64 appearances for the Wales rugby union team and currently plays for Newport Dragons.