Roy Keane ‘left in shock’ after Arsenal fan headbutted him through doors, court told
Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane has told a court he was left “in shock” after being allegedly headbutted through doors during a Premier League football match.
Pundit Mr Keane was alleged attacked by Arsenal fan Scott Law at end of the Gunners’s victory over United at the Emirates Stadium in September last year.
Law, 43, of Waltham Abbey, Essex, denies a charge of common assault and claims he was “scared and terrified” and acting in self-defence, Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday.
Giving evidence to the trial, Mr Keane, 52, said the incident happened when he and fellow Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards were walking through the stadium to carry out pitch-side match analysis at full time.
“There was lots of noise and shouting, as you would expect at a football match,” the former Republic of Ireland midfielder said.
“I was just walking and, before I knew it, I was hit. I felt the contact and fell back through some doors.
“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.”
Footage was posted on social media of Mr Richards stepping in to calm an apparent confrontation.
On this, Mr Keane told the court: “Micah then gets hold of someone. He was just trying to get a grip of him and make sure he didn’t run off.
“I was saying ‘Call the police’. For about 15 or 20 seconds Micah was holding him up against a wall (to stop) him getting away.”
Law then fled the scene after Mr Richards lost his grip, the court heard, before the two pundits headed went to carry out their post-match analysis.
Mr Keane added: “We missed the final two goals but that was the least of my worries.”
He claims to have suffered bruising on his chest and arms as a result of the incident.
A video played to the court showed Law turning to the Sky Sports broadcast box after VAR ruled out a last-gasp goal for Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho.
He then appeared to leave his seat before making his way to an area close to the stadium’s executive boxes, where he crossed paths with Mr Keane.
According to the prosecution, Law then made his way to a lift area where he delivered a “forceful headbutt” to Keane’s chest.
The defendant then fled the scene but was arrested the following day, it was said.
Law told officers in a prepared statement that Keane had “approached him in an aggressive manner” which caused him to throw his head back in self-defence.
But Simon Jones KC, prosecuting, said: “Self-defence has no place in this case and there is simply no justification for the defendant’s violence. (He was) clearly the aggressor and his claims of moving to a pre-emptive stroke lack credibility.”
Law, who is married with children, was sat close to the Sky Sports studio and had been making obscene gestures towards the box, Mr Jones told the court.
The trial heard that after Garnacho scored, the pundits briefly returned the studio before seeing it was disallowed.
This was the “catalyst” for the defendant to make his way to the media area where Roy Keane was on his way to pitchside for full-time commentary and they met by the lifts, Mr Jones said.
A statement from Mr Law to arresting officers, read out in court said the fan was “scared and terrified” of Mr Keane, who had spoken openly of making hard tackles on players such as Alfie Haaland and Gareth Southgate during his career.
Mr Law’s defence barrister Charles Sherrard KC told the court: “What the defendant himself knew of Mr Keane was such as to firstly demonstrate why he is not somebody who would ever attempt to assault Mr Keane.
“Secondly, matters are relevant as to why he was scared, why he reacted in the way he did, why he put his head down at the key moment – it was to defend himself.”
The trial in front of District Judge Angus Hamilton continues and is expected to conclude on Friday.