Steven Gerrard: punching businessman Marcus McGee was 'a mistake'
England international footballer Steven Gerrard today apologised for punching a businessman in a bar brawl and claimed it had all been a mistake.
The player told Liverpool Crown Court, where he denies affray, that he punched Marcus McGee three times during a clash at the Lounge Inn in Formby, Merseyside, after a row over the music being played at the bar.
But he said that he had thrown the first punch in self-defence, fearing he was about to be struck himself, not realising that one of his long-time friends, John Doran, had already hit Mr McGee.
“I thought he was going to hit me,†Mr Gerrard told the court. “He was on his way forward to me and his behaviour had changed from when I was having a discussion with him. I didn’t know why.â€
Asked how he felt now, the footballer added: “I am certainly mistaken in thinking he was coming towards me to throw punches at me. Now I know, obviously, he had been struck, reacted and thought the strike was by me and he came into me and that’s when I reacted.
“I am sorry about the whole incident.â€
On the third day of his trial, the Liverpool captain denied that he had lost control on the night of the fight, even though he had been drinking to celebrate a 5-1 victory over Newcastle earlier that day.
He told the court that he was used to “mither†(bother) and had ways of smoothing over trouble when confronted by people.
The jury has heard that the 29-year-old estimated that he was seven out of 10 on a drunkenness scale.
But he told the court today: “I certainly knew I had had a drink. I was certainly in control of how I felt in my surroundings.â€
As Gerrard went into the witness box his barrister, John Kelsey-Fry QC, told the jury and public gallery: “Obviously, there is no need to give an introduction to the captain of Liverpool Football Club.â€
The QC began by explaining that the father-of-two had been in trouble with the police before - when he was 19 he was banned from driving for nine months for drink-driving.
Have you been in trouble with the police since then?†asked the barrister.
“No,†replied Gerrard, who was dressed in a well-cut blue suit.
“Have you been involved in any other violent incident?†asked Mr Kelsey-Fry.
“No,†came the reply.
Mr Gerrard said that he suffered “a lot of mitherâ€, not just in bars, but at traffic lights, shopping centres and in restaurants.
“What sort of mither?†asked his QC.
“For example, because I am a footballer, sometimes I get supporters coming up to me, be they Liverpool fans or Everton or Manchester United fans, and sometimes the comments can be derogatory or insulting," he replied.
“So I try to deal with it in the best way I can. I try to talk to them and smooth it over.â€
But there was no smoothing it over in the early hours of December 29 when Gerrard and Mr McGee clashed.
The millionaire said he was given permission by the club manageress to choose music from a stereo Mr McGee was operating.
Recalling Mr McGee allegedly grabbing a music card menu from his hand, Gerrard said: “I asked Sabrina for permission to have an input into the music and she gave me permission to go over to the machine and have a look at the menu.
“It was a small A4-sized piece of paper covered in a plastic cover with numerous songs and then you speak to a member of staff if you want anything on.
“I looked for the music card and picked it up. I was looking at the music card for a couple of seconds for my songs and it was snatched out of my hands by a guy I didn’t know at that time but I now know to be Marcus McGee.
“That’s when I first spoke to Marcus McGee.â€
Asked what Mr McGee said to him, Mr Gerrard apologised to the jury for his language before replying: “He said to me: ’You are not putting no f****** music on in here’. I was shocked and tried to speak to him and asked him what his problem was. I asked why I couldn’t have an input in the music and tried to explain that I had permission from the manageress.â€
Mr Kelsey-Fry asked: “Did he explain it?†to which Gerrard replied: “No.â€
Explaining how it came to an end, the footballer said: “He turned away from me and wasn’t really listening to what I was trying to say and he swore at me a couple of times and we had an argument for four or five seconds and then he walked away.
“I remember asking a member of the bar staff if they saw the incident and what the guy’s problem was and the bar guy said he never saw it really, but told me to forget it.â€
Mr Gerrard told the court that his friends and the manager of the bar recognised that there was a change in his facial expression and he explained to them what had gone on with Mr McGee.
He described how Mr McGee then walked towards the bar area of the Lounge Inn and sat on a bar stool and he pointed him out to friends. Gerrard said Mr McGee was then staring at him.
Mr Kelsey-Fry asked the defendant: “What advice did you get from your mates?â€
Mr Gerrard replied: “Basically to ignore him and leave it.â€
Mr Kelsey-Fry then asked him: “Did you ignore it and leave it?â€
The footballer said: “No.â€
Mr Gerrard then told the court he went over to speak to Mr McGee. He said: “I couldn’t understand why the guy had such a problem with me, why he was so aggressive. I was also concerned that if I did leave it I would not have been able to enjoy my night, he may have come over to me.
“I wanted to see why he had such a problem with it, why a total stranger had such a problem with me putting my favourite songs on. I asked Marcus what was the problem with the music machine and why he treated me like that. Very quickly he came off the bar stool and was in my face right by me.â€
Mr Gerrard said it was a heated discussion with Mr McGee and added: “He felt I was coming over, charging over to confront him in an aggressive way, which I didn’t. I went over to speak to the guy and try and smooth the incident over.â€
He said that there was a lot of foul language going back and forth between the men. He said: “When I first spoke to him I didn’t intend to use any bad language.â€
Mr Kelsey-Fry asked Mr Gerrard: “Why did you deliver a blow to Marcus McGee?â€
The defendant replied: “To defend myself. It was very difficult at the time to explain to police why I did throw that first punch. We were arguing and I told the police I felt that Marcus came towards me and that’s why I raised my arms.
“I firmly believed Marcus came towards me to hit me.â€
Steven Gerrard: punching businessman Marcus McGee was 'a mistake' - Times Online
