John Higgins: 'My whole world was in a spin' after NoW sting

John Higgins has spoken of the "horrible time" when, for four months, he was at the centre of snooker's worst match-fixing scandal before being cleared of the most serious charges 12 days ago. In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, which will appear in full online tomorrow morning and in Tuesday's paper, Higgins talks about the week in spring that ended with the News of the World breaking a story that it had video footage which apparently showed Higgins in Kiev agreeing to throw frames at future tournaments in eastern Europe. "I was bewildered," he says of the meeting instigated by his former manager Pat Mooney. "I'm not the sort to start screaming and shouting, but I couldn't believe he had said this so flippantly. Once we were inside a few more things were said that didn't add up. It was pretty intimidating and I thought let's get out of here as quickly as possible. That's all I was thinking. "I came back late on the Friday night," Higgins says, "and there was just time for me to help Denise [his wife] put the kids to bed. I was still getting my head around everything. Denise had to go to Glasgow early the next morning as her sister was getting fitted for her wedding dress. So I was running all over the place with the kids. At the same time Mooney had left messages for me but I didn't want to speak to him. "He then left another message saying it was really important I called back. He said the News of the World had videotaped our meeting in Kiev. I just put the phone down. My whole world was in a spin. I had to go pick up Denise in Glasgow. When Denise and her mum got in the car she saw I was chalk-white. She said: 'What is it?' But I couldn't speak because the kids were in the back. When we got home the reporters were already waiting for us in the drive." Higgins adds: "It's been a horrible time." The day after he was cleared of the most serious charges of agreeing to fix matches - but suspended for six months and fined £75,000 for failing to report an illegal approach and for bringing snooker into disrepute - Higgins heard that his father's long battle against cancer had reached its final stage. John Higgins Sr has been released from hospital so that he can spend the time he has left at home. For the full interview, visit theguardian.com/sport tomorrow