Hartson .. if your daughter and her pals go near my daughter again I'll burst you

Celtic legend 'upset and anxious' after violent threat from school gate dad in teen bullying row

- ALAN McEWEN

FORMER Celtic star John Hartson was threatened with assault by an angry dad who accused the ex-footballer’s daughter of viciously attacking his child.

Neil Stocks, 44, posted a message on Facebook saying he would "burst" the retired Welsh international if "your daughter or her pals go near my daughter again".

The threat was made after a sickening video emerged on Snapchat of Stocks' two daughters being surrounded and abused by a gang of schoolkids.

The footage, seen by the Record, shows Hartson's teenage daughter in a violent confrontation with Stocks' younger daughter, then 12, in Penicuik, Midlothian.

Hartson's daughter is seen pushing the other teen before the pair end up rolling around on the ground in a fight.

Stocks appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday and pled guilty to threatening or abusive behaviour.

Xander Van Der Scheer, prosecuting, said there had been an "altercation" between Hartson and Stocks' daughter which "spread on social media" after being filmed.

He added that Hartson's wife Sarah was informed by their daughter the next day a "threat" had been made on Facebook.

The court heard Sarah, 51, checked the post on Stocks' Facebook page.