The woman Geoffrey Boycott was convicted of assaulting has branded the decision to knight the former cricketer as “disgusting”.
In an interview, Boycott’s former girlfriend Margaret Moore said he should refuse the accolade.
She told the Sun: “He treated me appallingly.
“I will never forget that night. It was horrible. What sort of man does that and is then made a knight?
“He should hand it back.”
The former Test opener, 78, was convicted in
France in 1998 of beating computer consultant Mrs Moore in a Riviera hotel.
She was hit up to 20 times during the assault at the Hotel du Cap in Antibes in October 1996, suffering extensive bruising to her face.
A row broke out earlier this week after domestic abuse campaigners attacked former Prime Minister Theresa May’s decision to knight her sporting hero – who she once compared herself to during a speech – in her resignation honours list.
The co-acting chief executive of Women’s Aid, Adina Claire, said the award “sends a dangerous message” showing that “domestic abuse is not taken seriously as a crime”.
But when he was questioned about the criticism, Boycott cast doubt on the credibility of the French justice system and said: “I don’t care a toss about her.
“It’s 25 years ago.”
Moore’s comments come after the now-retired French judge who convicted Sir Geoffrey, Dominique Haumant, told the Guardian: “I remember this case very well and I remember the row about it even after 20 years.
“I saw all the photos, the evidence, the statements and if I didn’t think he was guilty I wouldn’t have convicted him.”
Boycott was fined £5,000 and given a three-month suspended
prison sentence over the assault.
Despite the conviction, he has always denied assaulting Moore, accusing her of putting a “stain on my name” and maintaining her injuries were sustained in an accidental fall.
But at his trial, public prosecutor Jean-Yves Duval rejected that claim, saying the injuries were “absolutely incompatible” with an accident.Related... This Week Proves We Must Not Let The Domestic Abuse Bill Get Lost In The Long Grass Geoffrey Boycott 'Couldn't Give A Toss' Over Women's Aid Criticism Of His Knighthood
Labour Demands Geoffrey Boycott Be Stripped Of His Knighthood