Footage has emerged showing the moment Manchester United legend Roy Keane is alleged to have 'elbowed' an Arsenal fan during a during a brawl.
The altercation took place at the Emirates Stadium during Arsenal's 3-1 win against Manchester United last September, where former United player Keane had been covering the match as a pundit.
Previously unreleased footage shows Keane, 52, appearing to grab Arsenal fan Scott Law, 43, by the shirt and 'elbow' him before onlookers intervene in the altercation.
Advert
The footage is said to follow a previous altercation between Keane and Law, where the latter is alleged to have 'headbutted' the former Ireland international midfielder.
The trial which is currently ongoing at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court, has seen Law plead not guilty after being charged with common assault.
During the trial, Law’s defence team alleged that CCTV footage from inside the stadium, shown in court, displayed Mr Keane elbowing the defendant in the face.
You can watch it for yourself below:
Under cross-examination, the police officer in charge of the case told Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Thursday that there may 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 asked the officer: “What possible explanation can there be for raising your elbow at that speed to hold someone?”
Detective Constable Phil Dickinson, from the Metropolitan Police’s sporting investigations unit, replied: “In my opinion, he’s gone to grab hold of him.”
He added: “There may have been contact, but it does not look like a deliberate elbow to the face in my opinion.”
Further CCTV footage shown in court on Thursday appeared to show Law exiting and running away from the Emirates Stadium on the day of the incident.
In a prepared statement given to police on the day following 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.”
Law said in the statement that he was an 'avid football fan' and had seen Keane act violently before on the football pitch, adding that he was 'scared' at the time of the incident.
He said during a 'natural break in the game' he went to use the toilet and was approached by Mr Keane in a 'very aggressive manner', adding: “His face looked angry.”
Law said in the statement that he moved his head forward in a 'pre-emptive strike' to defend himself against the former Sunderland manager.
The court was shown a custody photo of Law from September 4 2023 in which he appeared to have an injury to his nose.
Brenna Cooper