Woman says marriage is over following husband's assault after Spurs v Liverpool football match

A WOMAN told magistrates today the result of a Tottenham v Liverpool football game brought her 18 year marriage to an end after her husband assaulted her after the match.

Paul and Collette Green supported opposing teams as they watched the match in a Fenland pub but things began to turn sour when she flicked cake at him.

Green left the Chase public house in Wisbech after the incident and assaulted his wife when she got home, the court heard.

Green pulled her from the toilet, grabbed her arms and kicked her torso, Fenland magistrates were told.

"Alcohol had been taken by both in similar quantities," prosecutor Andrea Fawcett told Fenland magistrates.

"She was merry, but he was unaffected. There had been some friendly banter between them. She flicked a spoon, with pieces of cake on it, and it landed on his shirt. At the time he did not seem too bothered."

The couple - who had been together for six years before they married- had watched the match at The Case on January 20.

But Green, 43, now of Sandbank, Wisbech St Mary, decided to leave, and walked home alone. Back at their home in Ringers Lane, Leverington, he assaulted his wife while she was in an ensuite bathroom, she said. Family members intervened, and dragged him away.

In a victim statement, Mrs Green said she was "mortified" by her husband's behaviour, and the marriage was over.

Green, who admitted assault, told police he had been in a bad mood because of the cake incident.

He denied his wife had been on the toilet at the time of the assault, and denied any kicking. But he admitted he had pulled her, and dragged her to the landing.

Sentencing was adjourned until March 2 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

• Liverpool won the game 2-0 but magistrates did not hear which teams the couple supported.