Gerrard arrested

[catmag]

Gerrard, 28, was charged early on Tuesday morning over the alleged fracas in which Marcus McGee, a company director, lost a tooth and needed four stitches to a head wound.

 

He was released from custody at Southport police station almost two hours earlier after police interviewed him and the other five men, aged between 18 and 33 - none of whom are team-mates of Gerrard - for most of the day.

 

Meryside police said Gerrard and two other men were charged with ABH and affray.

 

The other three have been bailed pending further inquiries.

 

Inspector Swan, spokesman for Merseyside Police, said in a statement: "Merseyside Police have charged Steven Gerrard, 28, of Formby, John Doran, 29, Ian Smith , 19, both of Huyton with Assault causing Actual Bodily Harm and affray following an incident in Bold Street, Southport.

 

"All three men will appear at North Sefton magistrates on Jan 23rd.

 

"Three other men who were interviewed over the same incident have been bailed.

 

"They were released earlier tonight."

 

The charges, under section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act, carry up to five years in jail.

 

Wearing a white t-shirt and smart black trousers, Gerrard attempted to cover his face with his hands before being driven away in a black Citroen Xsara people carrier, believed to be driven by his father.

 

The Liverpool captain had been celebrating Sunday's 5-1 win over Newcastle United, in which he scored twice, when a row is said to have broken out involving Mr McGee about the music being played at The Lounge Inn in Southport, Merseyside.

 

Gerrard is understood to have asked Mr McGee, a friend of the restaurant's owner, if he could borrow a swipe card which staff must use to operate the music system behind the bar.

 

Mr McGee is said to have refused to provide his card.

 

Mr McGee, 34, a father of two, also suffered cuts to his face and a swollen eye.

 

He declined to talk about the incident as he recovered at his home in Southport, but his mother Patricia said: "He was just out for a drink with his partner and I have no idea how he became involved in this.

 

"He lost a tooth and the whole family is really shaken up. I'm looking after his two little girls at the moment and we just can't believe this has happened."

 

Gerrard, who lives in Formby, Merseyside, is a regular customer at the Lounge Inn, where spots of blood and shards of broken glass could still be seen on the floor on Monday.

 

John Watts, whose daughter Eve had been celebrating her 35th birthday at The Lounge Inn, said Gerrard appeared to be sober and in good spirits shortly before the alleged attack.

 

He said: "When Steven Gerrard found out it was my daughter's birthday he bought her a bottle of champagne. He seemed in very good spirits. He wasn't drunk at all. He and his party were in a separate room and I believe some of the people who were with him were footballers, though I couldn't name them."

 

Mr Watts, who left the venue 15 minutes before the alleged fight, added: "It was a really civilised occasion in a middle-class bar."

 

 

 

From The Telegraph..

 

[Adam]

Middle-class bar hahaha

[Nobby]

five years in jail

[Kaizero]

five years in jail

 

I'll cream my pants if that happened.

 

Or well, 5 is a bit harsh, even for Gerrard. 1 year and I'll cream my pants.

[oldtype]

Surely the wronged party will decline to press charges after being payed a hefty settlement fee.

[samag]

If found guilty, I wonder if he will get the same treatment from the press as Barton got?

[Karjala]

Aye, would love it if the FA suspended him for 6 or so games, and royally fucked up the scouse scums chance of the title.

 

Not gonna happen like.

[Guest elbee909]

If found guilty, I wonder if he will get the same treatment from the press as Barton got?

 

Not a chance.

[mrmojorisin75]

If found guilty, I wonder if he will get the same treatment from the press as Barton got?

 

Not a chance.

 

not chance on either proposition really

[Colos Short and Curlies]

I think it is about time that the FA looked into bringing in mandatory suspensions for players who are charged with this sort of thing (and worse).

 

Bowyer, Woodgate, Lee Hughes, Barton, now Gerrard.

 

Its becoming more than just isolated incidents now and if football wants to make a statement against violence then they now have a perfect springboard (I don't think that Gerrard should be banned btw, its just time to bring in a rule for future incidents)

[Guest sicko2ndbest]

There is a lot of Gerrard bumming in todays rags

 

One example

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/columnists/holt/2008/12/30/steven-gerrard-arrest-brawl-claim-is-like-poison-to-model-pro-115875-21004312/

[midds]

I expected nothing less.

[Tooj]

Didn't Gerrard used to get into a load of bother when he first started becoming a household name? As I remember Houllier going mad about it.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

That article is disgusting.  "Everything about him exudes honesty"  Fuck off.

 

 

[Guest toonlass]

What an absolute load of bull. He has been charged, the police must think they have a case, and yet the mirror is making out that he is an innocent party. Bloody pathetic.

[midds]

What an absolute load of bull. He has been charged, the police must think they have a case, and yet the mirror is making out that he is an innocent party. Bloody pathetic.

 

As much as it sticks in the craw, he hasn't been found guilty just yet though.

 

The fact they've charged some and let some go so quickly after the incident seems to imply they know pretty much what went on like. The Mirror article is just ridiculous though as LLLO has said. He's one of the biggest cheats in the sport. He's a dirty bastard too. 

[Guest johnson293]

When Barton was sent down, was that solely for the Assault and Affray last christmas? Did the courts do anything about the Dabo incident, or is that what the 12 match ban (6 suspended) was for from the FA? Or did the FA ban include for both incidents?

 

So, if 'Englands Stevie G' has been charged with the same thing (Assault and Affray), we can presume he should get a similar sentence from the courts as Barton did, and at least a 3-6 match ban from the FA? If found guilty, of course.

 

 

Yeah, right-o??!!!!! 

[Guest toonlass]

What an absolute load of bull. He has been charged, the police must think they have a case, and yet the mirror is making out that he is an innocent party. Bloody pathetic.

 

As much as it sticks in the craw, he hasn't been found guilty just yet though.

 

The fact they've charged some and let some go so quickly after the incident seems to imply they know pretty much what went on like. The Mirror article is just ridiculous though as LLLO has said. He's one of the biggest cheats in the sport. He's a dirty bastard too. 

 

Sorry should have made myself clearer. I think the Mirror article is bullshit. If Steven Gerrard is innocent then fine, but the intense double standards between this and what happened a year ago are disgusting!

[midds]

What an absolute load of bull. He has been charged, the police must think they have a case, and yet the mirror is making out that he is an innocent party. Bloody pathetic.

 

As much as it sticks in the craw, he hasn't been found guilty just yet though.

 

The fact they've charged some and let some go so quickly after the incident seems to imply they know pretty much what went on like. The Mirror article is just ridiculous though as LLLO has said. He's one of the biggest cheats in the sport. He's a dirty bastard too. 

 

Sorry should have made myself clearer. I think the Mirror article is bullshit. If Steven Gerrard is innocent then fine, but the intense double standards between this and what happened a year ago are disgusting!

 

Couldn't agree more. The press will take it easy on him even if he's found guilty imo.

[Guest Jawesome]

Guilty until proven innocent.  Scouse cunt.

[brummie]

Surely it doesn't matter.

 

If it gets to court, "Stevie" will just appoint himself judge and dismiss the charges.

[Guest Jawesome]

They'll blame it on Hillsbrough or some bullshit.

[Mag-ic]

When Barton was sent down, was that solely for the Assault and Affray last christmas? Did the courts do anything about the Dabo incident, or is that what the 12 match ban (6 suspended) was for from the FA? Or did the FA ban include for both incidents?

 

So, if 'Englands Stevie G' has been charged with the same thing (Assault and Affray), we can presume he should get a similar sentence from the courts as Barton did, and at least a 3-6 match ban from the FA? If found guilty, of course.

 

 

Yeah, right-o??!!!!! 

 

Jail sentence was solely for the incident outside MacDonalds, suspended sentence for the Dabo incident.

My understanding is that the FA action only related to the Dabo incident, because it occurred at the club. Can't help but think they only got involved because he didn't get a custodial for it.

[Mag-ic]

There is a lot of Gerrard bumming in todays rags

 

One example

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/columnists/holt/2008/12/30/steven-gerrard-arrest-brawl-claim-is-like-poison-to-model-pro-115875-21004312/

 

That article is disgusting, man. You can rip apart every sentence.

 

And yet now Gerrard, who has a vulnerable side and often needs reassurance, has found himself caught up in nightclub mess.

 

Bless!

 

The consolation for them and for Gerrard is that recent years have shown it has become fashionable to accuse footballers of wrong-doing, often without any evidence to back it up. Modern players have become trophy victims for those seeking publicity.

 

Time and again, players have been subjected to lurid allegations only for charges to be dropped.

 

This riles the fuck out of me. He's been charged, end of. There has to be enough evidence to start the proceedings, and there is. It's not as if he's being stitched up..........

[BlueStar]

Some legal guy on the news saying "Of course if there are mitigating circumstances, such as the defendant being of good character, there will more likely be a lenient, non custodial sentence"  ie, he'll be OK cos he's good old Stevie G, English Hero.