A troubled former mayor and magistrate, whose life was ruined when his son bludgeoned his ex-wife to death, was himself cleared today of assaulting a young mum.

Attractive Melanie Lumsden, 28, was referred to Paul Geldart, 46, through a women's refuge after her stormy 13-year relationship with her children's father, Shaun Kelly, broke down.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the counselling sessions led to the pair starting a relationship which she broke off after about six months.

The mum-of-two told how an angry confrontation erupted in violence on August 26 last year after Geldart saw her in another man's car and followed her to a friend's house.

She claimed Geldart told her: "I could understand why someone would want to kill you."

Geldart's life had been turned upside down when, in 1998, his teenage son Simon bludgeoned his ex wife to death with a champagne bottle.

The ex-JP, who had advocated capital punishment and the birch, suddenly found himself with a son serving life in prison.

He was pulling his life back together with his job as a counsellor when the incident involving Miss Lumsden happened.

Miss Lumsden told the court of the moment he confronted her.

She said: "He was red, he had a frustrated, anxious look. He had beads of sweat on his brow, he was aggitated.

"He said he had seen me in my friend Robin Dodds' car. He is my friend but when Paul and I started seeing each other he thought Robin was a control freak and didn't want me having anything to do with him."

She told the court: "He was having a go, making accusations and then he picked up the frame and had his hand held up in the air.

"I said to him 'don't' because I thought he was going to smash it in a paddy.

"He slammed it into my face. It struck my face and head." Miss Lumsden was taken to hospital where a 2cm cut to her head was stapled and a 2cm cut to her right cheek was steri-stripped.

She told the court; "I kept saying you know what I've been through, why have you done this to me?"

The court heard how 107 incidents which led to her needing medical treatment were logged with the police and hospital regarding incidents involving her former partner.

Geldart said the incident happened after a tearful reunion with Miss Lumsden on August 26 last year and claimed it was an accident.

She had called him and they kissed passionately before talking for three hours.

Geldart claimed she then left but within minutes he went out in his car and saw her with Robin Dodds in his car.

He said: "As I drove around the streets looking for her, I couldn't find her. Then, as I was heading back home I saw her with Robin Dodds in his car. They both clearly saw me and put their heads down."

He spoke to Miss Lumsden on her mobile and she said she was going to her friend Sharon Hardy's home in Darlington. He followed her there to confront her.

He said: "I went into the room and asked Melanie why she had lied to me again.

She could see how upset I was, I was crying.

"She said Robin had given her a lift to Sharon's. I told her I didn't believe her and that it was over between us - I didn't want her in my life.

"She told me Robin wanted to give her some photographs and thrust them into my hand.

"I didn't realise she had handed me the photo frame amongst the pictures. I wasn't looking where I was throwing them.

"The only crime I have ever committed is falling in love and then an accident happened.

"When I heard a scream I turned around and saw Melanie holding her head. I said 'oh Melanie, I'm sorry, it was an accident."

Geldart was cleared by the jury after four hours deliberation.

Full story in tomorrow's Northern Echo.