Roy Keane has been accused of elbowing an Arsenal supporter who allegedly ‘headbutted’ him.
Roy Keane Accused of Elbowing Arsenal Fan Who Allegedly Headbutted Him
Roy Keane testified at Highbury Crown Court after footage surfaced online showing him allegedly elbowing a football fan. The incident involved Keane, a former Manchester United player, and occurred during an alleged assault.
Scott Law, 43, was accused of headbutting Keane at the Emirates Stadium during Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over United in September 2023. Law, who lives in Essex, reportedly confronted Keane following United’s disallowed late winner by VAR.
Law allegedly caused Keane to stagger before the Sky Sports pundit. He pleaded not guilty to common assault, claiming he was rushing to the toilet when Keane approached him aggressively, prompting him to defensively throw his head back.
CCTV footage of the incident was posted on social media, and Law’s lawyers enhanced the clip to show a slowed-down version, purportedly revealing Keane delivering an “upper cut elbow” to Law’s nose.
️ Watch unblurred CCTV footage as Roy Keane is accused of elbowing the Arsenal fan who ‘headbutted’ him during a match at the Emirates last September pic.twitter.com/ZVUCnFKMpV
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) May 30, 2024
Defence barrister Charles Sherrard KC argued that Keane’s reaction was fueled by anger after the VAR decision. Sherrard confronted Keane in court, accusing him of initiating the altercation and provoking Law by saying, “say it to my face you fat c**t.” Keane denied the accusation, questioning if he would say such a thing while at work.
Keane asserted that the footage shows him trying to prevent Law from fleeing the scene. When asked by Sherrard how stopping someone involved elbowing them, Keane explained that he had bags in his hands and was attempting to restrain Law, calling for police assistance multiple times.
Micah Richards, also present in the video, is seen restraining Law and questioning his sanity, demanding an apology. Richards insisted on Law’s arrest, highlighting the assault on Keane.
Richards is scheduled to testify in court on Friday, coinciding with the trial’s expected conclusion.
