Posts Tagged ‘Southport’

Jury clears Gerrard of affray

• Liverpool star ‘unwise’ to get involved, judge says
• Fans gather outside court to cheer ‘Stevie G’ verdict

It took a jury less than 90 minutes today to clear Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard of affray even though he admitted punching a man three times in a bar.

Gerrard maintained that he had acted in self-defence during the brawl at the Lounge Inn in Southport last December, which was triggered by a row over control of music.

Gerrard, 29, had wanted to pick the music in the bar, but Marcus McGee, who was in charge of the CD player, refused his request. The trial was told that although McGee, 34, did not throw any punches, the player believed he was about to be hit.

Earlier in the evening, the England international and his friends had seemed to be in high spirits, singing and dancing as they celebrated a crushing victory over Newcastle United.

Minutes after he had been rebuffed by McGee, the footballer approached him as he sat on a barstool. John Doran, Gerrard’s friend, elbowed McGee in the face, making him reel backwards and forwards. Fearing that he was about to be attacked, Gerrard landed three uppercuts on his face.

During the trial, he apologised for what had happened. Around 100 supporters gathered outside court today and cheered as Gerrard left the building.

Gerrard said: “I would like to put this case behind me now and I am really looking forward to the season ahead and concentrating on football now.”

Judge Henry Globe, recorder of Liverpool, told Liverpool crown court after the verdict that the football player “could walk away with his reputation intact”.

The judge told Gerrard that in hindsight it “may have been unwise of you” to approach Marcus McGee following the trivial disagreement.

“However, that is far from saying you were criminally responsible for the violence that thereafter erupted.”

The judge said when the violence commenced the victim and his partner Gina Lond, who was standing nearby, thought that Gerrard had started it. Gerrard himself had initially thought McGee was the first person to deliver a blow.

“The CCTV evidence obtained later demonstrated conclusively that you were all mistaken,” the judge noted. The judge said the verdict was credible and the jury had demonstrably paid close attention to the full facts of the case.

Six of Gerrard’s friends, two of whom are Accrington Stanley players, will be sentenced next month after pleading guilty to charges of affray or threatening behaviour in connection with the brawl.

Having twice rejected the lure of Chelsea’s riches, “Stevie G”, as he is universally known to the red half of Liverpool, epitomises the one-club player, the local boy made good who has tried to maintain his links to the Bluebell estate in Huyton, where he grew up.

During the trial he appeared to well up as a statement from Kenny Dalglish was read out in court. “He is a very humble man,” the former Liverpool star said, who was “not the archetypal footballer” and had “never forgotten his roots”.

But the England midfielder’s evident puzzlement, then anger, at the man who, in the words of the prosecution, dared to “say no” to Steven Gerrard betrayed the fact he could never be one of the lads.

Jon Holmes, the veteran football agent whose clients have included David Beckham, said: “Their relationship with their community and the world they’re from has changed enormously. The irony is that Gerrard is probably better connected to his community than others.”

Former Chelsea player Pat Nevin said that there have always been punch-ups and drunken incidents involving playersdown the years, but in the past they were less likely to make the papers.

“It existed when I was playing and probably before that. You had those whose heads were turned by the fame and the money, even when the money was just twice the average wage,” he said.

“You also have to think about the way society treats these players. They are treated like gods and they are ordinary people. If you treat them like gods you will be disappointed.”

Gerrard apologises for punching man in Merseyside bar brawl

England footballer admits throwing blow in row over music but says he was acting in self-defence

The Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard claimed today he had been acting in self-defence when he punched a man in a row over music.

The England international told Liverpool crown court that he punched Marcus McGee three times during a clash at a bar in Southport.

He said that he had struck the man “to defend myself”, fearing he was about to be hit by McGee. Gerrard, 29, who denies affray, said that, at the time, he was unaware one of his friends, John Doran, had landed the first blow, elbowing McGee in the face.

“I thought he was going to hit me,” Gerrard said.

“He was on his way forward to me and his behaviour had changed from when I was having a discussion with him. I didn’t know why.”

Asked how he felt now, the footballer added: “I am certainly mistaken in thinking he was coming towards me to throw punches at me. Now I know, obviously, he had been struck, reacted and thought the strike was by me and he came into me and that’s when I reacted.

“I am sorry about the whole incident.”

Gerrard denied that he had lost control on the night of the fight.

He had been drinking at the Lounge Inn in Southport to celebrate a 5-1 victory over Newcastle earlier that day. The footballer had been drinking Budweiser and a sweet liqueur drink called a Jammy Donut shot, estimating his level of drunkenness as seven out of 10. Gerrard remained calm and quietly spoken as he gave evidence, repeatedly sipping a glass of water as he stood in the witness box.

“It was very difficult at the time to explain to the police why I did throw the first blows. But it was because I was arguing and I felt as if Marcus was coming forward to hit me.”

He told the jury he had been used to people “mithering” him and he was usually able to smooth things over.

Gerrard said he suffered “a lot of mither” at traffic lights, shopping centres, bars and restaurants and the comments can be “derogatory or insulting”.

He admitted calling McGee “a prick” to one of his friends when he refused to change the music.

During the conversation with McGee, 34, he claimed the man swore at him, saying: “You are not putting no fucking music on here.”

Gerrard said a member of staff at the bar had given him permission to choose music from a CD player that his alleged victim was operating.

A card that controlled the music was snatched from his hand by McGee, he said.

“I couldn’t understand why the guy had such a problem with me, why he was so aggressive,” he said.

Gerrard said that when he went over to speak to McGee for a second time, he had no intention of having a fight but wanted to “smooth things over”.

Gerrard told the court he had a conviction for drink-driving when he was 19 but had not been in any other trouble with the police.

Gerrard welled up with tears as a statement from Liverpool legend Kenny

Dalglish was read out. Dalglish described Gerrard as “not the archetypal footballer. He does not like to move in movie star circles.”

He described him as “quiet” and “very private.” Despite his wealth, Dalglish said, Gerrard has “never forgotten his roots.”

“He is a very respectful man who has always behaved to senior players in a respectful way,” Dalglish said. “He is a very humble man.”

Dalglish, who had earlier met Gerrard on the night of the incident, said he had been with a group of boys who were “normal, polite, eating sushi and enjoying themselves”.

The footballer said Gerrard had become involved in his wife Marina’s charity for breast cancer and had been a guest of honour at a Hillsborough memorial match.

William Bygroves, the chaplain at Liverpool football club, said in a statement he had known Gerrard since he was a youth. “I have seen him mature into a kind, mature, generous, community minded family man.”

The chaplain said Gerrard had shown interest in those less fortunate than himself.

Bygroves said Gerrard was always generous when meeting children at Alder Hey children’s hospital and had worked on an anti-racism campaign with Gee Walker, the mother of murder victim Anthony Walker.

He described Gerrard as a warm-hearted genuine person.

Cross-examined by David Turner QC, for the prosecution, Gerrard was asked to show the jury how he hit McGee. He gently lifted his right arm to demonstrate the uppercut.

Asked by Turner if he was sickened by what he did, Gerrard replied: “I am certainly sorry.”

The jurors are expected to be sent out to consider their verdict tomorrow.

Gerrard ‘threw barrage of punches in row’

Alleged victim of attack in Southport nightclub tells court Liverpool captain hit him two or three times

A man allegedly attacked by Steven Gerrard told a court todayhow he “faced a barrage of punches” from the Liverpool captain, who swore at him when he refused to hand over control of a CD player.

Marcus McGee, 34, said he disliked the footballer’s attitude when requesting a card that controlled the stereo. “I would describe it as bad and rude. He was bad-mannered straight away. I acted in proportion to what his attitude was.

“When you see a famous person like that you do not think you are going to have a fight or trouble with them.”

He told Liverpool crown court that Gerrard, 29, said “something to the effect of, ‘Here you are, lad, give me that.’ “

He refused: “It was my job, so I didn’t hand it over.” McGee said the manager of the Lounge Inn in Southport had asked him to be in charge of the music as he wanted to get everyone dancing.

He told the court that Gerrard made a move to try to grab the card off him to take it away and recalls it slipping on to the floor. The footballer walked away.

Gerrard, who was in the bar with friends celebrating Liverpool’s 5-1 win over Newcastle United, is shown on CCTV walking away before later returning to confront McGee.

Seven minutes later McGee was sat on a bar stool at the bar when Gerrard approached and said: “What the fuck is your problem?” McGee stood up as he felt threatened and vulnerable sitting down and looking up at the footballer and they had a brief conversation.

He told the court: “I remember a barrage of punches coming in at my face but at that point I don’t know who has done what. Having watched the CCTV it was quite obvious Steven Gerrard hit me a couple of times, maybe three times but I couldn’t honestly say on the night.”

Gerrard, a married father of two, denies affray. Six co-defendants, including two Accrington Stanley players, have admitted charges of affray or threatening behaviour before their trial was due to begin.

Under cross-examination by John Kelsey-Fryer, Gerrard’s barrister, McGee strongly rebutted a suggestion that he swore at the footballer.

McGee said he was innocent, saying: “I didn’t throw any punches, I wasn’t acting aggressively, I didn’t hit anyone at all.”

His girlfriend, Gina Lond, told the court: “I saw an elbow going into Marcus’s face. At that time I thought it was Steven’s. Marcus was just getting punched and kicked by several people. He had blood on his face and he had a cut on his forehead.”

Bar worker Nathaniel Lockie, who saw the start of the fight, told the court that he saw Gerrard pull McGee’s jumper over his head with his left hand, pulling him forward “so that he was off balance” before punching him.

Lockie ran round to the other side of the bar to try to stop the fight. Earlier in the evening, he said, Gerrard had approached the bar staff for help changing the music “but none was given”. He saw Gerrard walking back to the restaurant area “in a huff” after his music request was refused.

Later, he saw Gerrard and McGee speaking to each other across the bar. “Marcus looked puzzled at first,” Lockie said. “There was an argument or an exchange of words.”

He said John Doran, whom he assumed was Gerrard’s minder, struck McGee with an elbow and the fight began from there. McGee lost a front tooth crown in the attack, received a cut to the forehead and had hospital treatment following the incident in the early hours of 29 December last year.

Gerrard is expected to give evidence tomorrow.

Gerrard faces trial alone as co-defendants plead guilty to brawl

Liverpool football captain accused over fight in Southport wine bar while celebrating victory over Newcastle

Six co-defendants of the England and Liverpool football player, Steven Gerrard, today admitted their involvement in a nightclub brawl when they appeared at Liverpool crown court. Gerrard denies affray and now faces trial alone.

The Liverpool captain is accused of being involved in an incident at a wine bar that injured the Southport businessman Marcus McGee, 34, in the early hours of 29 December last year.

McGee suffered multiple injuries, including a head wound which needed four stitches, a black eye, and a lost tooth in the fight.

Gerrard, 29, a father of two, was out with friends at the Lounge Inn in Southport, celebrating Liverpool’s 5-1 defeat of Newcastle United last season, when the fight broke out.

Five of the co-defendants pleaded guilty to affray. They were: Ian Gerrard Smith, 19; John Doran, 29; and Paul McGrattan, 31, all of Huyton.

John McGrattan, 34, of Huyton, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of threatening behaviour after denying affray.

Rafael Benitez vows that charge against Steven Gerrard will not derail Liverpool’s season

Rafael Benítez is determined that Liverpool's best season in recent years will not be disrupted by Steven Gerrard being charged with assault and affray. The midfielder yesterday trained for the first time since spending 20 hours in police custody after an incident in a Southport nightclub.

Liverpool's manager yesterday told the club's website that Gerrard is focused on trying to win the league with a side the England midfielder had claimed was "the best I have played with" only hours before his arrest.

"He's trained with the other lads this morning after a couple of days off for the squad and is keen now to focus solely on his football," Benítez said. "We've worked very hard to get into the position we're in going through to the new year, and all of us are determined to keep that progress going."

Benítez said he had spoken to Gerrard in the presence of the club's lawyer before training. "Steven is our captain and a key player for us but more than this, I know him as a nice person. I told him he has my full support and backing, along with everyone else at the football club. We'll do whatever we can to support Steven in the weeks ahead, but we're now concentrating on our preparation for the FA Cup game at Preston this weekend."

The Professional Footballers' Association has also offered the England international its support. The chief executive, Gordon Taylor, said: "We have a watching brief on this and have offered any help we can. I was concerned when I heard about the case as I have known Steven Gerrard a long time. I don't know the full details but as the players' union, we would want to be supportive of him."

After scoring two goals in Liverpool's 5–1 defeat of Newcastle on Sunday, Gerrard joined friends for a celebration in Southport that ended with the incident at the Lounge Inn. The bar's 34-year-old DJ, Marcus McGee, needed hospital treatment after losing a tooth and sustaining cuts to his forehead which reportedly needed stitches.

Gerrard is due to appear in North Sefton magistrates court for an initial hearing on 23 January – four days after the Merseyside derby at Anfield – with John Doran and Ian Smith, friends who are from the Huyton area of Liverpool where he grew up. Both have also been charged with assault and affray. Gerrard faces a maximum five-year jail term if convicted.

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