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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Gerrard 'struck with boxer speed' | Gerrard 'struck with boxer speed' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard "totally lost it" and hit a man "with the style and speed of a boxer" during a row over music, a court has heard. | |
| Marcus McGee, 34, was assaulted by the England midfielder when he refused to hand over control of a CD player at the Lounge Inn, Southport, it was alleged. | Marcus McGee, 34, was assaulted by the England midfielder when he refused to hand over control of a CD player at the Lounge Inn, Southport, it was alleged. |
| Mr Gerrard, 29, took offence when the businessman refused the request, said David Turner QC, prosecuting. | Mr Gerrard, 29, took offence when the businessman refused the request, said David Turner QC, prosecuting. |
| Mr Gerrard is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court and denies affray. | Mr Gerrard is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court and denies affray. |
| The midfielder, of Formby, Merseyside, had been celebrating Liverpool's 5-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United at the bar. | The midfielder, of Formby, Merseyside, had been celebrating Liverpool's 5-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United at the bar. |
| Marcus McGee was injured in the bar in the early hours of 29 December 2008. | Marcus McGee was injured in the bar in the early hours of 29 December 2008. |
| 'Mood changed' | |
| Mr Gerrard was with friends at the Lounge Inn when his party clashed with Mr McGee, a member of another group. | |
| David Turner QC, prosecuting, told the court that Mr Gerrard asked McGee for a card controlling the CD player, saying: "Here y'are lad. Give me that lad." | |
| Mr Turner said: "Mr McGee took offence at his attitude and the expression 'lad' and he refused. | |
| 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 a professional footballer David Turner QCProsecuting | |
| "Not many people on Merseyside, or indeed anywhere else, would refuse a request from Steven Gerrard but Mr McGee did. | |
| "There can be no doubt that this refusal astounded Steven Gerrard. | |
| "He walked away back to his party but the CCTV shows how much his mood had changed." | |
| After about six minutes Mr Gerrard returned to the victim and allegedly confronted him. | |
| Mr McGee, was in charge of music for the night, stood up to Mr Gerrard and the pair were head to head, the court was told. | |
| One of Mr Gerrard's friends, John Doran, who has admitted affray, pushed Mr McGee away but "could not resist following through with his right elbow into Mr McGee's face", said Mr Turner. | |
| "We say at this stage Gerrard totally lost it. | |
| The brawl happened at a bar in Southport | |
| "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 a professional footballer." | |
| Mr Doran, 29, of Woodlands Road, Ian Gerrard Smith, 19, of Hilary Avenue and Paul McGrattan, 31, of Linden Drive, all Huyton, admit affray. | |
| Accrington Stanley footballers Robert Grant, 19, of Enstone Avenue, Litherland, and Ian Dunbavin, 28, of Guildford Road, Southport, also admitted affray. | |
| John McGrattan, 34, of Rimmer Avenue, Huyton, admitted threatening behaviour after denying affray. | John McGrattan, 34, of Rimmer Avenue, Huyton, admitted threatening behaviour after denying affray. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |