Man found guilty of headbutting Roy Keane during Arsenal vs Man United match (2024)

An Arsenal fan who headbutted Manchester United legend Roy Keane after a Premier League match between the two teams has been found guilty of assault.

Scott Law, 43, attacked the former midfielder at the Emirates Stadium while he was on pundit duty for Sky Sports on September 3 last year.

Ex-Ireland international Keane told Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court the incident happened when he and fellow pundit Micah Richards were walking down for the final match analysis after Arsenal’s 3-1 win.

Lifelong Gooner Law, who told the court his season ticket was his ‘prized possession’ before being handed a three-year stadium ban, vowed to appeal his conviction.

Giving evidence, Keane said: ‘There was lots of noise and shouting, as you would expect at a football match. I was just walking and, before I knew it, I was hit. I felt the contact and fell back through some doors.

‘I was absolutely not expecting it. The only way I can describe it is that I was in shock. I didn’t expect it to happen, not when I was in my workplace.

‘Micah then gets hold of someone. He was just trying to get a grip of him and make sure he didn’t run off.

‘I was saying “Call the police”. For about 15 or 20 seconds Micah was holding him up against a wall (to stop) him getting away.’

A video played to the court showed Law, an Arsenal season ticket holder, turning to the Sky Sports broadcast box after VAR ruled out a goal for Manchester United.

Law, of Waltham Abbey, Essex, admitted making a ‘w***er sign’ towards Keane and demonstrated the gesture for the benefit of the court.

But he claimed he was rushing to the toilet when the football hardman ambushed him and called him a ‘fat c**t’.

Law said in the statement that he moved his head forward in a ‘pre-emptive strike’ to defend himself against the former Sunderland manager.

His barrister Charles Sherrard KC claimed Keane was the aggressor, suggesting ‘the red mist descended’ when he was taunted by home supporters.

He said Keane was captured on camera using ‘gratuitous violence’ against Law by ‘smashing his nose’ with his elbow.

MrSherrardasked Keane: ‘How are you stopping someone getting away with an elbow to the face?’

The ex-footballer replied: ‘That’s to stop him getting away. I’m trying to grab him. I’ve got bags in my hands, I was trying to grab him to stop him from getting out.

‘I must have said nine or 10 times: “Someone call the police”.’

Law denied but was convicted of common assault by District Judge Angus Hamilton.

The judge said he believed Law had been ‘untruthful about what happened’ during the match.

He continued: ‘There was no reason MrKeaneshould have picked on him in particular.’

Keane‘was calm and not agitated’ when he left the studio, he added.

The judge saidKeane’sreputation as the so-called ‘hard man of football’, was ‘years ago and was confined to the football pitch’.

‘I’m sure Mr Law assaulted MrKeane.’

Law, a civil engineer who said his Emirates Stadium season ticket was his ‘prized possession’, was given a three-year football banning order.

As well as being barred from attending football matches, Law was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work, and must pay legal costs of £650 plus a victim surcharge of £114.

Kevin Christie, Crown Prosecution Service London North Football Lead Prosecutor,said: ‘This gratuitous and senseless act of violence was completely unacceptable.

‘When anyone attends a football match, either to work or to support a team, they should be able to feel safe and secure in that environment.

‘The Crown Prosecution Service works in close partnership with the police to ensure that all perpetrators of violence at football grounds are brought to justice.’

Prosecutor Simon Jones KC told the court Law was ‘intent on violence’ towards Mr Keane.

He said: ‘Roy Keane was about to go live on air to millions to give full-time analysis of that game – the idea that he would seek confrontation in the way that has been described lacks credibility.

‘It cannot be reasonable, we suggest, that for a headbutt with such force as to firstly bruise and to then impact on Mr Keane to the extent of him flying through the double doors, that cannot be justified or lawful.

‘Why on earth would Roy Keane run himself into this man? Of course the court will inevitably want to consider the fact that Mr Law could simply have walked away.

‘He chose not to do that. He chose to give Roy Keane no chance, and he head-butted Roy Keane forcefully.’

Mr Jones added that Law was ‘hyped up’ and saw red ‘when he sees the man who captained Manchester United’.

‘From the moment that he saw Roy Keane, we say he was intent on violence – that is the reality of the case,’ he went on.

‘The idea that putting your head towards the ground is defending yourself when you can either walk away or walk around, or indeed just put your hands up, is lacking credibility.’

Reading a statement on behalf of Law outside court, his defence lawyer said: ‘I was found guilty by a judge who excluded me at times from my own trial.

‘The prosecution deprived me of key footage for my defence.

‘I most definitely plan to appeal this conviction. I will not be making any further statements.’

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