Steven Gerrard 'punched victim like a professional boxer'
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Steven Gerrard "totally lost it" and launched an attack on a man "with the style and speed of a professional boxer" during a bar brawl, a court heard on Tuesday.
The attack was captured on the bar's CCTV.
The Liverpool captain was with friends at the Lounge Inn in Southport, Merseyside, in the early hours of December 29, celebrating his side's 5-1 victory over Newcastle United in the Premier League.
The victim, Marcus McGee, was in charge of music for the venue after being given the card to pick songs for a staff party in an adjacent room to Gerrard's group.
David Turner QC, prosecuting, said Gerrard asked McGee for a card controlling the CD player, by saying: "Here y'are lad. Give me that lad." But McGee objected to his attitude and the expression 'lad'.
"Not many people on Merseyside, or indeed anywhere else would refuse a request from Steven Gerrard, but Mr McGee did," Turner continued.
"There can be no doubt that this refusal astounded Steven Gerrard. He walked away back to his party, but the CCTV evidence shows how much his mood had changed. He was no longer the centre of that high-spirited party.
"He was clearly walking round, pondering, musing over what had happened, about the man who said no to Steven Gerrard."
Several minutes later CCTV showed Gerrard returning to the victim who was sitting alone at the bar and allegedly confronting him with the words: "Who the f*** do you think you are?"
"Steven Gerrard had clearly lost his cool – he was very angry with Marcus McGee."
One of Gerrard's friends. John Doran, pushed McGee away and elbowed him in the face.
"Almost immediately after the blow from John Doran, in fact within seconds, Steven Gerrard joined in the attack with a succession of well-aimed uppercut punches, delivered with the style and speed of a professional boxer, rather than professional footballer."
Ian Smith, another member of Gerrard's party, joined in. Doran and Smith then kicked McGee.
Gerrard was pulled away from the fight by the bar manager and was restrained.
When interviewed by the police later that night, Gerrard said he had no intention of having a fight but when McGee stood up and they started arguing, he believed that McGee was about to hit him so he punched him on the side of the head.
But warning the seven women and five men of the jury, Turner said: "If you consider Steven Gerrard was or even may have been acting in self defence you will acquit.
"But we say on this occasion Steven Gerrard's fists, not his feet, did the talking.
"This was never self defence in a hundred years."
Proceedings will resume on Wednesday morning when it is expected McGee will give evidence.
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The attack was captured on the bar's CCTV.
The Liverpool captain was with friends at the Lounge Inn in Southport, Merseyside, in the early hours of December 29, celebrating his side's 5-1 victory over Newcastle United in the Premier League.
The victim, Marcus McGee, was in charge of music for the venue after being given the card to pick songs for a staff party in an adjacent room to Gerrard's group.
David Turner QC, prosecuting, said Gerrard asked McGee for a card controlling the CD player, by saying: "Here y'are lad. Give me that lad." But McGee objected to his attitude and the expression 'lad'.
"Not many people on Merseyside, or indeed anywhere else would refuse a request from Steven Gerrard, but Mr McGee did," Turner continued.
"There can be no doubt that this refusal astounded Steven Gerrard. He walked away back to his party, but the CCTV evidence shows how much his mood had changed. He was no longer the centre of that high-spirited party.
"He was clearly walking round, pondering, musing over what had happened, about the man who said no to Steven Gerrard."
Several minutes later CCTV showed Gerrard returning to the victim who was sitting alone at the bar and allegedly confronting him with the words: "Who the f*** do you think you are?"
"Steven Gerrard had clearly lost his cool – he was very angry with Marcus McGee."
One of Gerrard's friends. John Doran, pushed McGee away and elbowed him in the face.
"Almost immediately after the blow from John Doran, in fact within seconds, Steven Gerrard joined in the attack with a succession of well-aimed uppercut punches, delivered with the style and speed of a professional boxer, rather than professional footballer."
Ian Smith, another member of Gerrard's party, joined in. Doran and Smith then kicked McGee.
Gerrard was pulled away from the fight by the bar manager and was restrained.
When interviewed by the police later that night, Gerrard said he had no intention of having a fight but when McGee stood up and they started arguing, he believed that McGee was about to hit him so he punched him on the side of the head.
But warning the seven women and five men of the jury, Turner said: "If you consider Steven Gerrard was or even may have been acting in self defence you will acquit.
"But we say on this occasion Steven Gerrard's fists, not his feet, did the talking.
"This was never self defence in a hundred years."
Proceedings will resume on Wednesday morning when it is expected McGee will give evidence.
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