Free the Liverpool One!

[TANGODANCER]

Having seen the video, I've not seen any of this 'barrage of upper-cut punches delivered with the skill of a professional boxer' as the prosecution alleges.

Not commenting one way or the other on what happened, but prosecution alleging is actually just a court game, be it defence or prosecution. Neither were there so the alleging is totally wrong-althought the jury get to hear it and can be influenced by it. When they bring in things like "With the skill and speed of a professional boxer" and start colouring it with "barrage of uppercut punches" it just makes it all more of a joke. About as true as "He hit him like my granny with an umbrella might" Neither is actually provable except from a sworn witness and even taking the oath these days is a joke. Stick to the facts and leave alleging out of it all.

Please don't get the idea I'm defending Gerard, I'm not. I'd fine them both heavily for disturbing the peace, although in Gerards case he'd probably just laugh and pay it out of his back pocket. Okay, jail them both then and be sure to get the right one..

[Prufrock]

Just watched the story on ITV News at Ten (I know!). The item followed on from the sad story of the young squaddie from Manchester who got killed in Afghanistan on Sunday morning.

The lead into the Stevie Me story ran along the lines of "And now the alleged assault by England football hero Steven Gerrard." Which has to be a bit crass, in the circumstances.

Quite. The fact he, not the dead soldier is the lead story is an understandable yet wholly depressing thing in itself.

Except he wasn't, because as Zulus said the Stevie G item followed on from the squaddie in Afghanistan.

Ah my bad, misread it. The point that it shouldn't be that big news stands.

As for the punches, Gerrard admits he punched him, and though it doesn't explicitly say it any of the reports, I've not read anywhere any contradiction to it being him throwing those punches in that video. The first elbow you see is his mates, as (I think) he has admitted, then Gerrard. You're right it's a poor picture, and that's partly why I stressed only from those pictures, and not knowing what other evidence the jury has, that that video doesn't look like self defence to me. There's to many punches, and he is on the front foot punching uppercuts. Gerrard's defence is apparantly that he didn't know his mate threw the elbow and he thought he was being attacked. If you think you are being attacked you don't launch forward in a flurry of punches. Steven Gerrard has never come across to me as a particularly bad bloke at heart, but that video at least makes it seem like he lost it on an drunk ego trip and lashed out. If so he should be dealt with as anybody else would, and many doubt he will.

[thebish]

Steven Gerard is expected to take the stand today at the Crown Court...

(thieving git!)

[Zulus Thousand of em]

I have seen the video. He should get six months in Strangeways for his dancing style alone. He looks like a charlie.

[blurred]

I have seen the video. He should get six months in Strangeways for his dancing style alone. He looks like a charlie.

It was very 'dad at a wedding' I must say.

[Zulus Thousand of em]

I have seen the video. He should get six months in Strangeways for his dancing style alone. He looks like a charlie.

It was very 'dad at a wedding' I must say.

... and there's always a question mark hovering over a bloke who dances in front of a bunch of other blokes, without a female within yards!

[Hoboh]

Just watched the story on ITV News at Ten (I know!). The item followed on from the sad story of the young squaddie from Manchester who got killed in Afghanistan on Sunday morning.

The lead into the Stevie Me story ran along the lines of "And now the alleged assault by England football hero Steven Gerrard." Which has to be a bit crass, in the circumstances.

Quite. The fact he, not the dead soldier is the lead story is an understandable yet wholly depressing thing in itself.

Except he wasn't, because as Zulus said the Stevie G item followed on from the squaddie in Afghanistan.

Ah my bad, misread it. The point that it shouldn't be that big news stands.

As for the punches, Gerrard admits he punched him, and though it doesn't explicitly say it any of the reports, I've not read anywhere any contradiction to it being him throwing those punches in that video. The first elbow you see is his mates, as (I think) he has admitted, then Gerrard. You're right it's a poor picture, and that's partly why I stressed only from those pictures, and not knowing what other evidence the jury has, that that video doesn't look like self defence to me. There's to many punches, and he is on the front foot punching uppercuts. Gerrard's defence is apparantly that he didn't know his mate threw the elbow and he thought he was being attacked. If you think you are being attacked you don't launch forward in a flurry of punches. Steven Gerrard has never come across to me as a particularly bad bloke at heart, but that video at least makes it seem like he lost it on an drunk ego trip and lashed out. If so he should be dealt with as anybody else would, and many doubt he will.

I think the same really, I reckon he was on the p*ss and lost it prberbly more like a 9 than a 7!

[enfieldwhite]

He's been cleared. Shock. Not.

[Zulus Thousand of em]

He's been cleared. Shock. Not.

Only fair. He's an icon, and an England hero. (and there's me thinking he's a violent Scouse dirt bag)

[seanworth]

He's been cleared. Shock. Not.

Only fair. He's an icon, and an England hero. (and there's me thinking he's a violent Scouse dirt bag)

Who said seeing was believing.

[enfieldwhite]

So.

Steven Gerrard admits punching a bar DJ 'fearing for his safety' and gets off. His SIX mates are all guilty of affray and various other charges.

So that's seven men assaulting one. How threatened must Mr Gerrard have felt?

The puff.

[ratbert]

I think the verdict was more due to the need to avoid the predictable howling Scouse outrage than anything else.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

His SIX mates are all guilty of affray and various other charges.

Without trial, having pleaded guilty to the charges. Perhaps they could have had sloppy seconds with Stevie G's Johnnie Cochran.

Must be some gag about a watertight defence. You do it.

[BWFC_Insane]

Can we not just lock the nice person up anyways?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Between you and me, might've been good for England for him to have a little rest pre-South Africa

Could've examined some other options up front too, although Joe Cole appears to have eloped with Owen Hargreaves to InjuryWorld

Anyway, the judicial process has been observed, and we should be thankful we have one, even if it doesn't always give us the results we'd want

Such as, in Al-Fayed vs Hamilton, both sides being jailed

[enfieldwhite]

Between you and me, might've been good for England for him to have a little rest pre-South Africa

Could've examined some other options up front too, although Joe Cole appears to have eloped with Owen Hargreaves to InjuryWorld

Anyway, the judicial process has been observed, and we should be thankful we have one, even if it doesn't always give us the results we'd want

Such as, in Al-Fayed vs Hamilton, both sides being jailed

I'm no legal expert, I'll leave that to others on here.

So I'd like to ask, is Steven Gerrard being judged on his testimony alone, or the CCTV footage too?

If it's just his testimony he admits to assaulting the guy along with his six mates in self defence. Anyone un-famous would now be serving a custodial sentence as this would surely have been laughed out of court.

If it's the CCTV footage it clearly shows the DJ has his hands by his sides when he is first hit, followed by SG hitting him three times after the first blow, citing self defence. Anyone un-famous would now be serving a custodial sentence as this would surely have been laughed out of court.

My flabber is truly gasted.

[Lord Kangana]

Having met (and indeed worked with) a guy who purported to be the cellmate of the fella who took the rap for a certain Leeds defender, I wouldn't hold out much hope of justice being served enfield. Famous people don't "do" jail.

[enfieldwhite]

Having met (and indeed worked with) a guy who purported to be the cellmate of the fella who took the rap for a certain Leeds defender, I wouldn't hold out much hope of justice being served enfield. Famous people don't "do" jail.

Which is entirely my point.

I hope I don't meet anyone anytime soon who makes me feel threatened. Especially if I've got six of my mates backing me up.

This, as a precedent, is legal gold-dust. See also Amy Winehouse.

[sajven]

Pleads not guilty, clear evidence he committed the crime but yet he walks scot free...
spineless judges and jury.

[Prufrock]

Having met (and indeed worked with) a guy who purported to be the cellmate of the fella who took the rap for a certain Leeds defender, I wouldn't hold out much hope of justice being served enfield. Famous people don't "do" jail.

It does seem odd the other six conveniently pleaded guilty, they must obviously have seen how scared he looked.

To play Devil's advocate however, perhaps there was evidence we don't know about, or the bloke he hit came across as dead scary in court....could have happened!

All in all though, this verdict screams two words. Kop out.