CCTV footage has been shown in court of an altercation between former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane and an Arsenal fan, amid claims the Sky Sports pundit gestured towards the man to “meet him outside” after “banter turned more aggressive”.
Scott Law, 43, has denied a charge of common assault against Mr Keane. The alleged incident took place on September 3 last year after Arsenal had clinched a 3-1 win over Manchester United.
The ex-Ireland star, working as a pundit for Sky Sports, was allegedly headbutted through the doors at the Emirates Stadium by Mr Law, who resides in Waltham Abbey, Essex.
Law’s legal representatives contended that CCTV footage from inside the stadium, revealed in court, caught Mr Keane elbowing the defendant in the face.
In response to cross-examination, the police officer overseeing the case stated to Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court yesterday that there could have been contact from Mr Keane, but it “does not look like a deliberate elbow to the face”.
Referring to the footage, defence barrister Charles Sherrard KC questioned the officer: “What possible explanation can there be for raising your elbow at that speed to hold someone?”
Detective Constable Phil Dickinson, attached to the Metropolitan Police’s sporting investigations unit, answered: “In my opinion, he’s gone to grab hold of him.”
Adding further comments, he stated: “There may have been contact, but it does not look like a deliberate elbow to the face in my opinion.”
Mr Sherrard dismissed the officer’s claims as “absolute nonsense”, accusing him of “lying” and alleging that the police “had done nothing” to investigate evidence that could exonerate Law, who was seated beneath the Sky Sports studio at Arsenal’s stadium during the match.
Additional CCTV footage presented in court seemed to show Law leaving and running from the Emirates Stadium on the day of the incident.
In a statement given to the police the day after the incident, Law said: “Throughout the match there was what I would regard as banter between me and Mr Keane.”
“The banter turned more aggressive with Mr Keane gesturing towards me to meet him outside.”
In his statement, Law described himself as an “avid football fan” and mentioned having seen Mr Keane act violently on the football pitch before, adding that he felt “scared” at the time of the incident.
He recounted that during a “natural break in the game”, he went to use the toilet and was confronted by Mr Keane in a “very aggressive manner”, adding: “His face looked angry.”
Law stated that he moved his head forward in a “pre-emptive strike” to protect himself against the former Sunderland manager.
The court was shown a custody photo of Law from 4 September 2023, where he appeared to have a nose injury.
After last year’s match, footage of ex-Manchester City player and Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards intervening to defuse an apparent confrontation was widely circulated on social media.
In court, Dc Dickinson stated that the police were unable to identify who recorded the footage, adding: “It had been retweeted so much.”
The trial continues.