Gerrard Not Guilty

[razortoddy]

Back of the net

[dww]

Gerrard cleared after bar brawl
BBC
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been cleared of affray after punching a man in a Merseyside bar.

The England midfielder admitted hitting Marcus McGee, 34, in the Lounge Inn, Southport, in December last year but denied the charge of affray.

A jury at Liverpool Crown Court agreed with Mr Gerrard's assertion that he was acting in self-defence.

Six friends of the 29-year-old footballer, of Formby, admitted charges connected with the brawl.

Members of the jury took just over 70 minutes to find the Reds' captain not guilty.

Judge Henry Globe told him: "The verdict is a credible verdict on the full facts of this case, and you walk away from this court with your reputation intact."

CCTV footage from the bar showed the group drinking beer, downing shots and dancing round while chanting football songs.

But the trouble flared at around 0200 BST when Mr Gerrard wanted to change the music on the CD player, but was refused access by the man holding the control, Marcus McGee.

Mr Gerrard told the court he had been trying to ask Mr McGee why he had a problem with him when the businessman "very quickly" got off his bar stool.

He said he "firmly believed" he was about to be punched, and swung out in self-defence.

Mr Gerrard was quickly pulled away by friends and told the court he was "sorry about the whole incident".

Five of Mr Gerrard's friends admitted affray.

They are Ian Gerrard Smith, 19, of Hilary Avenue; John Doran, 29, of Woodlands Road; and Paul McGrattan, 31, of Linden Drive, all Huyton; and Accrington Stanley footballers Robert Grant, 19, of Enstone Avenue, Litherland; and Ian Dunbavin, 28, of Guildford Road, Southport.

Another friend, John McGrattan, 34, of Rimmer Avenue, Huyton, admitted threatening behaviour.

[Venton]

Brilliant! And phew...

[CincyRed]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!...That, was a goal.

[carheex]

Good news, but what a farce!

FACTS:

gerrard wasn't touched
gerrard assaulted a man
gerrard not guilty

British comedy isn't dead - they just call it the justice system these days!

[Vermilion]

Prosecution went with the wrong charge imo, serves them ****in right.

[Exiled_red]

Prosecution went with the wrong charge imo, serves them ****in right.

What do you think they should have gone with?

[Rafael Benítez Maudes]

lucky lad.

[Vermilion]

What do you think they should have gone with?

A lesser charge to start with, they likley could have had more success, something like common assault even ?

Although having somehow proved Gerrard felt threatened and hence lashed out, he'd have probably got NG anyway.

[Shaggy]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!...That, was a goal.

****! Did you see that?! He must have a foot like a traction engine!

[Vermilion]

It's certainly brilliant news, can hopefully put it behind us and get on with preparing for a very important season.

Or does anyone think there could be a civil case to follow ? Hope not.

[Exiled_red]

A lesser charge to start with, they likley could have had more success, something like common assault even ?

Although having somehow proved Gerrard felt threatened and hence lashed out, he'd have probably got NG anyway.

Affray a lesser charge than assault though isn't it?

[Rich]

I had every faith that the correct judgement would be made.

[Vermilion]

Affray a lesser charge than assault though isn't it?

Unsure nowadays which charges are what, (a good thing), you could be right, somehow i always seem to remember Affray as being a worse charge, but as i say you could be correct.

Actually, would be interested to know how the charges step up these days, which is the 'entry level' charge so to speak, working up to the higher ones.

Affray seems to include all sorts depending what you do during said affray.

From Wiki.
In many legal jurisdictions related to English common law, affray is a public order offence consisting of the fighting of two or more persons in a public place to the terror (in French: à l'effroi) of ordinary people (the lieges). Depending on their actions, and the laws of the prevailing jurisdiction, those engaged in an affray may also render themselves liable to prosecution for assault, unlawful assembly, or riot; in that event it is for one of these offences that they are usually charged.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affray

[Rafael Benítez Maudes]

Rafa Benitez today admitted he was 'really pleased' after Steven Gerrard was found not guilty of affray at Liverpool Crown Court.
Benitez learned of the decision during a training session in the national stadium of Singapore.

"We are really pleased," said the boss. "He is very important for us and he can now focus just on football.

"We are all pleased at the club and over here at the training camp.

"We have been supporting him all the time and were just waiting for the decision. Now he can concentrate just on football and hopefully play at the same level as last year."

Benitez, meanwhile, welcomed back Yossi Benayoun and Xabi Alonso to full training this evening, but Glen Johnson missed the session with an Achilles problem.

"We have to be careful with Glen because he is still feeling his Achilles," added the boss.

"I was very happy to have Yossi and Xabi back. They were working very hard, the tempo of the session was fantastic and the fans really enjoyed it.

"We are trying to step up our training every day, especially for the international players. Today we had three teams playing against each other. It was good competition and pleasing for me to see."