Chelsea star dragged to court by ex-lover over ‘failure to pay child maintenance’
Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi’s ex took him to court over his alleged failure to pay maintenance for their two-year-old daughter.
The £100,000-a-week Belgian striker had previously been ordered to pay monthly sums to former lover Gitte Van Der Elst.
But the World Cup star was accused of missing two of £2,067 and being late with several others.
Gitte, 26, was at a criminal hearing last week in Mechelen, near Antwerp.
Belgian law can deem failure to make two maintenance payments “family abandonment” — punishable by up to six months jail and a fine.
Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi in court over ‘failure to pay child maintenance’ https://t.co/vT6x5qeqEh
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Batswayi’s lawyer Pierre Monville said payments were now up to date and blamed the player’s representatives for the missed contributions.
Judge Suzy Vanhoonacker adjourned her verdict until next month when Batshuayi is likely to be acquitted.
The Chelsea striker, 26, who has a three-year-old daughter from another relationship, initially denied he was the father.
But a separate court ruled he was liable to pay his ex-lover towards the child’s upkeep.
Batshuayi, who has mainly been a sub for Chelsea this season, met Gitte on Instagram. She was “flattered” at first but things turned sour and she now wants nothing to do with him.
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She said: “As our child grows up I will tell her who her father is but I will also tell her how hard it was for us at the beginning and that he didn’t want to even know her. As for me I don’t want anything to do with him.”
She went on: “He thinks I just want to better my financial situation but I don’t care about things like that.
“I just want my daughter, I don’t need him. All that matters is my girl’s future.”