[Archived] Gerrard Cleared Of Affray

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

So let me get this right... if I simply thought anyone was going to attack me I could lay three punches on them first?

Rollocks!,your average joe on the street would be doing time for serious assault.

The sight of the mindless chav morons outside the court clammering for his autograph was a sickening sight indeed.

[DeadlyDirk]

It's not as black and white as all that.. do you really think if it was so simple that he would have been found not guilty. If it was such a simple case there could be no doubt. All I have said all along is: we don't know the full facts but the Jury and Judge do. Gerrard was found not guilty and the Judge stated it was fair. Judges are more than happy to express their discontent at what they believe to be unsafe verdicts and this Judge did not - he backed up the jurors.

If it happened exactly as you said then Gerrard would not have a leg to stand on in any court in the land, with any legal team behind him, and would have entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity in order to get the lowest sentence. Which probably wouldn't have been custodial anyway. I accept that from what has been released in the press that Gerrard seems guilty of affray... but we have not heard the full facts - the court did and he was acquitted. I'm just repeating myself now.

I really think you give far too much credit to our legal system.

The best lawyers can get people with money out of anything. Wonder if Gerrard or Liverpool paid for his legal team? Top lawyers get paid a huge sum because they know all the loopholes and can convince a jury that there is enough doubt to prove his innocence. Gerrard's laywer probably earns more than him! What do you think the opposition lawyer got paid by this DJ bloke? Twenty quid and a bag of chips?

Ever heard of Johnnie Cochran?

In current English Law, affray forms part of the Public Order Act 1986 under section 3. The act states:

1. A person is guilty of affray if he uses or threatens unlawful violence towards another and the person's conduct is such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his personal safety.

So if Gerrard acted in 'self defense' because he feared for his own safety then why isn't he counter suing the other bloke for affray, who apparantley was giving Gerrard reasonsble reason to fear for his own safety, which in Gerrard's words is why he hit him.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm you lucky scouser.

[dazmaz]

to be honest given the guy was nose to nose with gerrard, Gerrard can easily claim he feared for his own personal saftey, the thing is there is way to many counter laws in this country, and a good legal team will point these out. and also Gerrard has not been found innocent cause its clear he isnt, but in actual face a jury has found him not guilty.

[Fife Rover]

Well I said to my wife yesterday that he would definitely get found not guilty. Why?.... what were the chances of any jury in Liverpool finding him guilty? Even the Everton supporting ones were still going to say not guilty for one of their own true scousers.

It was a complete farce of a trial and should by any standard of natural justice have been moved to another area altogether.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Where's AESF?

[BuckyRover]

BRFCS.com the home of righteous indignation

[Amo]

Where's AESF?

In his basement on the typewriter.

[jamiebrfc]

I really think you give far too much credit to our legal system.

The best lawyers can get people with money out of anything. Wonder if Gerrard or Liverpool paid for his legal team? Top lawyers get paid a huge sum because they know all the loopholes and can convince a jury that there is enough doubt to prove his innocence. Gerrard's laywer probably earns more than him! What do you think the opposition lawyer got paid by this DJ bloke? Twenty quid and a bag of chips?

Ever heard of Johnnie Cochran?

First of all it would be called R v Gerrard... otherwise known as the Queen v Gerrard... or specifically the CPS v Gerrard. Here were the contestants:

Gerrard's QC: John Kelsey-Fry Called to the bar in 1978 and made a Silk (QC) in 2000

"an all-round outstanding lawyer with great ability to present cases to judge and jury"

The Prosecution's QC: David Turner QC Called in 1971 Silk in 1978.

"His particular specialities are Prosecuting and defending in murder cases, organised crime and drugs conspiracies"

Both are outstanding QC's and neither would give an inch.

Gerrard won the case based on the evidence and our judicial system - like it or not.

Boo your heart out at him if it makes you feel better. Is he an ass for being involved in a pub fight? Yes. Is he guilty of Affray? No. You guys really should be lawyers your legal arguments would put these two to shame.

[broadsword]

He's not guilty in the eyes of the law. Great.

But he's guilty of being a thug.

Dial it down a bit with the John Grisham stuff, it's getting a bit tedious.

[LeChuck]

Bit harsh for branding him a thug for having a fight in a pub. Surely you must know people that have been in similar situations that you wouldn't consider a thug?

Must say though, given the evidence, I'm surprised he was found not guilty.

[jamiebrfc]

He's not guilty in the eyes of the law. Great.

But he's guilty of being a thug.

Dial it down a bit with the John Grisham stuff, it's getting a bit tedious.

Thats exactly what i've been saying! But people keep piping up with how his expensive lawyer saved him, jsut wanted to give it a balance. You don't have to read it.

[broadsword]

Sorry, I'm just getting deja vu from the Keith Andrews thread.

[jamiebrfc]

Sorry, I'm just getting deja vu from the Keith Andrews thread.

Well for the record I think Keith Andrews is a decent back up midfielder for us... haha

[Kelbo]

I really think you give far too much credit to our legal system.

The best lawyers can get people with money out of anything. Wonder if Gerrard or Liverpool paid for his legal team? Top lawyers get paid a huge sum because they know all the loopholes and can convince a jury that there is enough doubt to prove his innocence. Gerrard's laywer probably earns more than him! What do you think the opposition lawyer got paid by this DJ bloke? Twenty quid and a bag of chips?

Ever heard of Johnnie Cochran?

So if Gerrard acted in 'self defense' because he feared for his own safety then why isn't he counter suing the other bloke for affray, who apparantley was giving Gerrard reasonsble reason to fear for his own safety, which in Gerrard's words is why he hit him.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm you lucky scouser.

he may do just that!!

Or come to n out of court agreement

[Dan]

[adopted scouser]

We've all got p1ssed and made a fool of ourselves haven't we ? A couple of punches and because he's a high profile player it's headline news.

Storm in an egg cup, and the 'victim' will earn a fortune from the glossies and the tabs.

You'll all forget about this if he leads us to triumphs in South Africa though eh ?

What a footie player, and his wife's fit an 'all.

[rovers1995]

I don't believe that Gerrard did any wrong. I am glad he got found not guilty. Bring on South Africa 2010

[rovers1995]

I didn't mean it like that. I meant it like, this happens many times a night around the country. Because Gerrard is famous we hear about it. He is only human

[beerwins]

Well i cant comment on whether he should have been found guilty or not , i wasnt there, but one thing is for sure prem footballers love to gloat around like moviestars and sooner or later someone is going to take offense and sparks will fly.

Given the opportunity to play proffesional football for team and country earing shedloads of cash at the same time you would hope they could refrain themselves a little better, why on earth would you put to risk all your life and career just to give someone a bit of a slap.

English culture is very much a boozey nightlife scene, foreign players tend to find it hard to adapt and therefore end up in a bit of hot water sometimes but gerrard should no better.

He is a lucky boy.

[dazmaz]

you mean like thousands of people die of cancer yet jade goodie was the only one plastered all over the papers, hundereds of tohusands of people die every day and the biggest one of recent was jacko?

and this 'it happens many times' doesnt excuse what actually happened and what Gerrard did, what if the outcome of the punch up ended up like the poor lad who was killed with 1 punch? the fact it happens every night all over the world doesnt make it legal.

at the end of the day if it was a regular guy like me, or you we would either be sent down or have a rather large fine to pay....

was any of you in the court room? do you know 1000% there wasnt any evidence that proved Gerrard not guilty? not one person on this forum knows what happened prior to the incident, or what was said during the confrontation.

everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it is just that a opinion not a solid fact like some people think it is.

[Ninjathunder]

I question whether had he not been famous whether this would have ever got to trial in the first place. Punch ups go off all the time every weekend. I don't get what the consequences are of this other than (allegedly) gobby bloke gets a smack from bloke. Self defence? Responding to goading? Frankly in this instance I really couldn't care less. It's not big and it's not clever from Gerrard and he's role model etc. etc. but really.....

We've all got p1ssed and made a fool of ourselves haven't we ? A couple of punches and because he's a high profile player it's headline news.

Storm in an egg cup, and the 'victim' will earn a fortune from the glossies and the tabs.

Spot on.

[BuckyRover]

I have been punched before, the assailant didn't even get taken to court. All this "if he was a regular guy" talk is just bull ****.

[Billy Castell]

I can't believe he fell out over Phil Collins. I thought all footballers liked 50 Cent and other such blingmeisters. Anyway, if he did slap the DJ for not playing the record he got away with it. The police seemed more on top of things than the pillocks who I dealt with when that moron hit me for no reason.

[Fife Rover]

I didn't mean it like that. I meant it like, this happens many times a night around the country. Because Gerrard is famous we hear about it. He is only human

Yes it does happen all round the country, and every single instance of it happening is WRONG. Perhaps because it is commonplace you think it is right? It is just another symptom of the sad society we have now, but is NOT and never can be RIGHT.

[Ninjathunder]

but is NOT and never can be RIGHT.

Indeed. Phil Collins should be banned.