FOOTBALLER Kevin van Veen is being hunted by police after failing to turn up to be sentenced for abusing his former partner.
The Dutch striker, 34, tormented the woman during incidents in Cancun, Mexico, Lanarkshire, Inverclyde, and Renfrewshire.
During one exchange he told her to ‘go to Ibiza, go get f****d’ while he also accused her of admiring other men.
Van Veen, of Holland, had denied any wrongdoing and went on trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court.
He later pled guilty to a charge of engaging in a course of abusive behaviour towards her between September 2021 and December 2023.
Van Veen has been banned from contacting his former partner after he carried out a two-year campaign of abuse against her.
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But he failed to appear in the dock to be sentenced and was blasted by Sheriff Shirley McKenna for being ‘disrespectful’ to court proceedings.
His lawyer told the court he could not offer any explanation for his non-attendance.
Giving evidence via video link, the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claimed ‘red flags’ had emerged early in their relationship but she thought he was a ‘gentleman, charming and respectable’.
She told an earlier hearing she would be accused of ruining his performances for Motherwell if he had not played well.
The woman said a holiday in Mexico was ‘two weeks of mental torture’ because of him ‘shouting and screaming’ in her face as well as being accused of being a ‘slag and a slut’ over a dress he deemed too tight.
He also kept tabs on her Instagram account in case she had liked photos of other men.
The woman also told how van Veen would ‘clench his teeth and fist’ towards her in anger which left her ‘threatened, scared and petrified’.
During evidence van Veen branded her a ‘f*****g liar’ in shock outbursts from the dock which led to him being reprimanded by the sheriff for his conduct.
John Mulholland, defending, said: “I have not seen Mr van Veen which comes as an enormous surprise because when the plea was tendered he met with social work and my understanding was that arrangements had been made for a phone call but you will see there is no report.
“He lives in the Netherlands but I have not received anything from him.”
The lawyer previously told the court that the pair had shared a ‘contemptuous’ relationship.
Issuing a warrant for his arrest, Sheriff McKenna said: “This is not the first time he has not appeared without court instruction.
“There is one line from the social workers saying their phone lines were down but there was still another three weeks for him to contact them and they say if he had been here today then he could have been dealt with by them.
“He is just disrespectful and has got to understand that court dates are set for a reason so I’m going to have a warrant for his arrest.”
Van Veen had been on loan at St Mirren from Dutch side Groningen but his contract with the Paisley side was ripped up following his initial court appearance in October last year.
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Days before he admitted his abuse, van Veen, who has been diagnosed with autism and takes medication, played for FC Eindhoven in a 3-1 defeat away at MVV Maastricht.
In an interview last month, he told Dutch reporters he had been ‘depressed in bed’ but was happy to have returned to the field.
Domestic abuse – how to get help
DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone – including men – and does not always involve physical violence.
Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:
- Emotional abuse – Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse – gaslighting – being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to
- Threats and intimidation – Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you
- Physical abuse – This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten.
- Sexual abuse – Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent.
If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:
Remember, you are not alone.
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.
Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
