Former Irish soccer player Roy Keane was allegedly headbutted during an altercation with a spectator at a soccer match in London last September, a court has heard.
Scott Law, 43, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of common assault after an incident with Keane following Arsenal's 3-1 victory over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on September 3 last year.
Law is accused of headbutting Keane, while the defense has accused Keane, who was a pundit for Sky Sports during the match, of elbowing Law in the nose.
Mirror Football has shared the CCTV footage that purportedly shows Keane elbowing Law:
?️ Watch unblurred CCTV footage as Roy Keane is accused of elbowing the Arsenal fan who 'headbutted' him during a match at the Emirates last September pic.twitter.com/jtOd3Etm3Y
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) May 30, 2024
The PA reports that a video played to the court on Wednesday showed Law, an Arsenal fan, turning to the pundits' broadcast box after video assistant referees (VAR) ruled out a goal for Manchester United.
Law then appeared to leave his seat before making his way to the club level, where he crossed paths with Keane.
According to the prosecution, Law then delivered a “forceful headbutt” to Keane’s chest.
Keane said in court: "There was lots of noise and shouting as you would expect at a football match.
“I was absolutely not expecting it. The only way I can describe it is that I was in shock. I didn’t expect it to happen, not when I was in my workplace.”
Keane said he shouted for police as his colleague Micah Richards tried to apprehend Law.
Law fled the scene but was arrested the following day, the court heard.
Under cross-examination, Detective Constable Phil Dickinson, the police officer in charge of the case, told the court that Keane may have made contact with Law's head but that it "did not look like a deliberate elbow to the face."
"In my opinion, he’s gone to grab hold of him," Dickinson told the court.
"There may have been contact, but it does not look like a deliberate elbow to the face in my opinion."
Defense barrister Charles Sherrard KC said this was "absolute nonsense" and accused Dickinson of "lying."
"What possible explanation can there be for raising your elbow at that speed to hold someone?" Sherrard said.
He said Keane had used "gratuitous violence" against Law by "smashing his nose."
Sherrard asked Keane: "How are you stopping someone getting away with an elbow to the face?"
Keane replied: "That’s to stop him getting away. I’m trying to grab him.
"I’ve got bags in my hands, I was trying to grab him to stop him from getting out."
Keane said he asked someone to call the police "nine or ten times."
Sherrard further alleged that the police had "done nothing" to investigate evidence pointing away from Law.
The 43-year-old defendant was sitting beneath the Sky Sports studio during Arsenal's win over Manchester United.
Sherrard contended that "the red mist" descended on Keane, a former Manchester United player, after a refereeing decision went against United in the dying minutes of the game.
"You chose to confront him. When you saw him, you said: ‘Say it to my face you fat c***'," Sherrard told Keane.
Keane replied: "I said that when I was at work? Disagree."
Further CCTV footage appeared to show Law running away from the Emirates Stadium on the day of the incident.
In a prepared statement provided to the police following the incident, Law said he engaged in "banter" with Keane throughout the game.
"Throughout the match, there was what I would regard as banter between me and Mr. Keane," Law said in a statement.
"The banter turned more aggressive with Mr. Keane gesturing towards me to meet him outside."
Law continued that he went to the bathroom during a break in play, alleging that he was approached by Keane in a "very aggressive manner."
"His face looked angry," Law told the police.
He claimed that he moved his head forward in a "pre-emptive strike" to defend himself against Keane.
The trial is expected to conclude on Friday.
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