Gangland lawyer Zarah Garde-Wilson's partner Lansley Simon man cleared on Paul Thornell murder charge

The ex-partner of glamorous underworld lawyer Zarah Garde-Wilson has been cleared of murdering a man he met outside a nightclub.

The former partner of glamorous underworld lawyer Zarah Garde-Wilson has been cleared of the murder of a hospitality worker he met outside an inner-city nightclub.

Lansley Simon, the father of Ms Garde-Wilson's children, was today cleared of the murder of Paul Thornell, 38, after arguing self-defence.

M Simon met Mr Thornell outside the Peel Nightclub in Collingwood after the hospitality worker approached him for drugs.

Mr Lansley later travelled to Thornell’s Cockatoo home, where a stabbing took place that left Thornell dead.

M Lansley argued he did not produce the knife and the 12-member Supreme Court jury found him not guilty of murder, defensive murder and manslaughter.

Zarah Garde-Wilson on our gangland database

It was alleged he had been on a drug binge before he fatally stabbed Thornell at his home.

A committal hearing last year was told Mr Simon's fingerprints were found on a glass at Mr Thornell's home.

He was also identified by Mr Thornell's father on a police photo board, the hearing was told.

A friend of Simon's, Margaret Lee, told the court Simon had been smoking the illegal drug ice from Thursday until they ran out on Sunday, the day of the murder.