Mum suffered collapsed lung in attack by ex-husband

A MOTHER suffered a collapsed lung after being attacked by her ex-husband when she asked him to set up her TV, a court heard.

Jacqueline Hopkins' teenage daughter desperately tried to pull vicious Mark Lang off her mum as he repeatedly smashed her head off furniture and walls.

The 40-year-old was rushed to hospital where doctors carried out emergency treatment to re-inflate a collapsed lung.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, Mark Lang, 35, admitted putting his ex-wife's life at risk when he attacked her in her own home.

The Edinburgh couple, who had an "on/off", relationship met in 1996 and married three years later, before divorcing in 2002 after having a seven-year-old son.

The court heard on the day of the attack, Lang had been drinking and attacked his former wife after she asked him to set up the TV so she could watch a DVD.

Fiscal depute John Cook told the court: "The accused pushed Miss Hopkins onto the couch and repeatedly punched her in the face. She made her way through to a bedroom and the accused followed her and grabbed her by the hair. He struck her head off the walls and unit."

Miss Hopkins' 16-year-old daughter, Megan, witnessed the traumatic attack, desperately trying to help her mum.

Mr Cook said the terrified mother was begging for someone to call the police to put a stop to the ordeal.

When police eventually arrived Lang was too drunk to be charged or interviewed and was taken away by police, while Miss Hopkins was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Mr Cook said she had swelling on the side of her neck and bruising to her chest. X-rays revealed a broken rib and a collapsed lung, which doctors had to re-inflate.

The court heard the couple had not been reunited since the attack last July.

Defending, Robert Burnett said: "The cracked rib was not the result of a direct blow."

Sheriff Andrew Lothian called for reports before Lang, who appeared from custody, is sentenced later this month.