Hearts ban sex offender

Hearts have suspended Craig Thomson with immediate effect following a backlash over their lenient treatment of the convicted sex offender.

Thomson was placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years and fined 4000 pounds after pleading guilty to two charges of lewd, libidinous and indecent behaviour earlier this month.

Prosecutors said the 20-year-old sent pictures of male genitals to two girls, aged 14 and 12, and asked one of them for sex.

Hearts courted controversy in the wake of the conviction by opting not to sack Thomson and releasing a bizarre statement blaming the ‘mafia’ for dragging their players into criminal activity.

The player was allowed to return to training at the Edinburgh club, though he was not included on a pre-season trip to Italy last weekend.

However, the board at Tynecastle have decided to readdress the situation after their lenient stance drew near-universal condemnation, leaving the Scotland Under-21 international’s career in the balance.

A short statement on the club’s website read: “Hearts today announce that Craig Thomson is suspended with immediate effect. No further comment will be made by the club.”

On Sunday, MacB Water pulled the plug on their sponsorship deal with Hearts. A spokesman for the club’s official water sponsor said: “As a company with strong family values, we are left with no choice but to terminate our relationship with Hearts.”

“Along with countless others, fans and co-sponsors alike, we are extremely disappointed with the club’s handling of this situation and as a result can no longer continue our support.”

Their voice joined countless others, from supporter groups to children’s charities and one of the victim’s mothers, in calling for Hearts to sack Thomson.

He is also believed to have lost the backing of manager Jim Jefferies and his team-mates.

Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov, who was behind the eccentric outburst aimed at ‘crooks, criminals and thieves’ following Thomson’s conviction, is expected to meet with the player this week.