Teacher cleared of breaking her lesbian lover’s jaw says the case made her spiral into depression
A lesbian teacher who was cleared after being accused of breaking her lover’s jaw in a street scuffle has opened up about her depression.
Alexa Collier, 26, was in a relationship with Nicola Lees, 28, for around three years.
Alexa chose to keep the relationship secret from her family, fearful of how her mother would react to the news, until Lees turned up at her family home.
Lees alleged that Alexa’s mother Gill called her a “slut”, a “slag” and a “tramp” on the doorstep, before Alexa hit her.
But Alexa ended the trial sobbing as she was cleared after the jury was told Lees may have sustained her injuries in an earlier, accidental incident.
The PE teacher has opened up to The Sun following the trial, saying that the trial caused her to spiral into depression, making her parents worry she might attempt suicide.
While court proceedings were ongoing, Alexa would not come out of her room, leading her parents to ensure there were no pills in her room and to constantly confirm that she was alive.
She said: “I had to see my doctor twice a week for counselling. I wasn’t sleeping so she was prescribing sleeping tablets.
“I’m fluttering in and out of depression but refuse to take any antidepressants.
“My mum had three months off work with stress.
“She didn’t want to go to work thinking that I might be do something serious.”
Alexa said that when she heard the verdict clearing her, she felt like she had “died”.
“Everyone screamed from the public gallery, but I couldn’t hear anything around me,” she added.
“It was like a weight had just been lifted off my shoulders.”
Alexa said that until she started a relationship with Lees, she didn’t know she was bisexual.
She didn’t want to tell her parents for years, and she was scared of ending the relationship in case Lees told her mother about them, she alleged.
“I have had the 12 worst months of my life,” Alexa said.
“It’s enough to put you off women – and men – for life.”
After her account of the story came out in the national press, she posted it on Facebook, saying: “After 12 long months of silence, having my name tarnished, being on bail and not being able to talk, having lies made up-listened too and spread about me… I have finally spoke out of my horrendous ordeal being dragged through court due to false allegations!
Readers affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact Samaritans free on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org) or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.
