Former Dundee striker Christian Nade backhanded his ex-girlfriend in the face while she was holding a baby because she binned an out-of-date steak, a court has heard.
Laura Kennedy said the Frenchman, who now plays for Dumbarton, subjected her to domestic abuse while she was reeling from the death of her gran.
The 28-year-old said he also hit her with a boxed toy car she was due to give a relative for Christmas and assaulted her on a third occasion because she binned a sauce he had made at the flat they shared on Kirkaig Avenue, Renfrew.
The details emerged when Nade went on trial at Paisley Sheriff Court. Nade denies six charges between December 5 last year and March 11.
Miss Kennedy, who is the niece of Dumbarton assistant manager and former Rangers star Ian Durrant, told the court that Nade first struck her on December 5 following an argument about a steak that had been in their fridge for so long it was going green.
She said: “I remember it was the start of December because my gran had just passed away.
“The first time was because I had thrown out food from the fridge and because I never apologised he hit me.
“There was an out-of-date steak in the fridge and I threw it out.
“He hit me in the face with the back of his hand. I had a red mark on my face.”
She told the court that Nade hit her again on December 12, in their home with a boxed toy car while she was sitting down with a child on her knee.
Miss Kennedy denied claims from solicitor Alan Gravelle that she had actually been the aggressor on each occasion, lashing out in a rage after finding out that Nade had been cheating on her with other women.
Nade also denies shouting and swearing and acting aggressively towards Miss Kennedy, threatening to kidnap a child, and scaring or alarming Miss Kennedy’s mum and dad, Ann and Lawrence Kennedy, by acting aggressively and intimidating them at a property on Tay Avenue, Renfrew, on March 11. He also denies assaulting Mr Kennedy, 60.
Nade, who has also played for Raith Rovers, Hamilton Accies, Stranraer, Annan Athletic and Sheffield United, is being prosecuted under the name Christian Herman’zaro Nade and the trial, before Sheriff Craig Harris, was adjourned until August.
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