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| Assault trial hears from Lennon | Assault trial hears from Lennon |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Football coach Neil Lennon has given evidence at the trial of two men accused of attacking him. | Football coach Neil Lennon has given evidence at the trial of two men accused of attacking him. |
| The 37-year-old told Glasgow Sheriff Court that the only thing he could remember was waking up on a street in the west end of Glasgow on 1 September. | The 37-year-old told Glasgow Sheriff Court that the only thing he could remember was waking up on a street in the west end of Glasgow on 1 September. |
| One witness said he believed Mr Lennon had started a fight with the accused. Another said they assaulted him. | |
| David Whitelaw, 47, and 43-year-old Jeffrey Carrigan deny carrying out the assault due to religious prejudice. | David Whitelaw, 47, and 43-year-old Jeffrey Carrigan deny carrying out the assault due to religious prejudice. |
| Mr Lennon told the court that the only thing he could remember was waking up in Ashton Lane after being attacked. | |
| He said: "A friend of mine offered to walk me up the road but I said I would be fine as I only live three minutes away. | |
| I suffered from dizzy spells for a few weeks afterwards and I couldn't take part in training for two to three weeks but I was more emotionally damaged Neil Lennon "The next thing I remember I was lying on the ground and somebody was dabbing my face asking if I was okay. | |
| "My next recollection is waking up in hospital with my fiancée sitting at the end of the bed crying and my manager looking pretty concerned. | |
| "I knew something had happened but I didn't know what, I was just lying in a hospital bed with my face cut up," he said. | |
| The Celtic coach told the court that he did not remember much after that, "not even about getting home". | |
| He went into work the following day but was told by the club doctor that he "wasn't fit to take part in anything". | |
| "I suffered from dizzy spells for a few weeks afterwards and I couldn't take part in training for two to three weeks but I was more emotionally damaged," he said. | |
| Identity parade | |
| "I was pretty upset, pretty disappointed and paranoid for a while after it," he added. | |
| Mr Lennon later picked out Whitelaw in a police identity parade but could not tell officers how he knew him. | |
| Mr Whitelaw and Mr Carrigan were also identified by medical students Jonathan Bone, 21, and Louise Bradley, 26, who saw the incident unfold in Ashton Lane. | |
| He was confused and he was asking where he was and what had happened. He was bleeding from the side of his face and there was blood in his mouth Jonathan BoneWitness The students told the court that they spotted the two men in a pub called Nude before the alleged attack took place. | |
| Mr Bone told the court that he noticed that Mr Whitelaw was wearing a chain with a distinctive Rangers FC crest. | |
| He said: "I was aware that it had been the Old Firm game that day and had found out about the result. | |
| "I said to him that he must have been happy with the result. He just mumbled a reply." | |
| Mr Bone said Mr Whitelaw then walked away from the bar and joined Mr Carrigan at a table. | |
| Both students left the pub at closing time and Ms Bradley was walking to her car when she heard someone shout "ya Fenian bastard" and turned to see two men running towards Lennon. | |
| Mr Bone also turned round and saw what he described as a "brutal assault". | |
| 'Kicking and stamping' | |
| He went on: "There were two individuals assaulting this man. I recognised the two individuals as the men from the pub." | |
| Mr Bone said Mr Whitelaw struck the "victim" before Carrigan threw a punch, causing him to fall to the ground. | |
| He said Mr Whitelaw then kicked the "victim" across the face before both began kicking and stamping. | |
| Neil Lennon then tried to punch the guy that he pushed originally and he tried to punch him back. They were both punching and kicking at each other and Lennon fell to the ground James DickWitness Mr Bone then told the jury: "After the two accused ran away, we went to the victim as we were concerned about his wellbeing. | |
| "He was unconscious and we sat with him. He was lapsing in and out of consciousness. | |
| "He was confused and he was asking where he was and what had happened. He was bleeding from the side of his face and there was blood in his mouth. | |
| "We called for police and ambulance and they soon attended." | |
| Earlier, the court had heard from James Dick, who is bar manager of the Ubiquitous Chip in Ashton Lane. | |
| He told the court that he saw Mr Lennon push one of his alleged attackers before a fight broke out between the three men. | |
| Asked by Mr Whitelaw's defence lawyer, David Phinn, if it was Lennon that started it, he said: "I would say so, from my point of view, yes." | Asked by Mr Whitelaw's defence lawyer, David Phinn, if it was Lennon that started it, he said: "I would say so, from my point of view, yes." |
| 'Punched or slapped' | |
| Mr Dick told the court: "I was standing at the entrance to the bar talking to a friend of mine, Liam Cameron, when Liam said 'I think Neil Lennon's going to get into a fight'. | Mr Dick told the court: "I was standing at the entrance to the bar talking to a friend of mine, Liam Cameron, when Liam said 'I think Neil Lennon's going to get into a fight'. |
| "I turned round and I saw Neil Lennon shove a man on the chest with both hands. | |
| "Another guy was standing slightly behind and he then either punched or slapped Neil Lennon and thrust him forward again. | "Another guy was standing slightly behind and he then either punched or slapped Neil Lennon and thrust him forward again. |
| "Neil Lennon then tried to punch the guy that he pushed originally and he tried to punch him back. They were both punching and kicking at each other and Lennon fell to the ground." | "Neil Lennon then tried to punch the guy that he pushed originally and he tried to punch him back. They were both punching and kicking at each other and Lennon fell to the ground." |
| Mr Dick claimed that both men then kicked Mr Lennon as he lay on the ground before running off shouting: "You'll no talk to me like that again." | Mr Dick claimed that both men then kicked Mr Lennon as he lay on the ground before running off shouting: "You'll no talk to me like that again." |
| The trial continues. | |