Roy Keane is ‘shocked’ after fan head-butts him during Arsenal game

Former footballer Roy Keane has told of his “shock” after he was allegedly “headbutted” through doors during a Premier League football match. The former Manchester United star and football pundit told a court how he was walking, then suddenly hit.

He told Highbury Corner Magistrates Court he had no idea he was going to be assaulted at the Emirates Stadium on September 3 last year. Scott Law, 43, from Waltham Abbey, Essex, denied the common assault charge, which stems from an incident after Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Manchester United, where former Ireland international Keane was working as expert.

The 52-year-old told Wednesday’s hearing that the incident happened as he and fellow Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards were leaving for the final analysis of the match. He said: “There was a lot 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 didn’t expect it at all. The only way I can describe it is that I was in shock. I didn’t expect it to happen, not when I was at my job.”

Footage posted on social media appears to show Mr Richards intervening to defuse an apparent confrontation. Mr Keane told the court: “Then Micah puts his hands on someone. He was just trying to catch him and make sure he didn’t run away.

“I was saying, ‘Call the police.’ For about 15 or 20 seconds, Micah held him against a wall (to prevent him from escaping.”

The court was told Law fled the scene after Mr Richards lost his grip. The two TV pundits then headed to the pitch to provide their post-match analysis.

Keane added: “We missed the last two goals but that was the least of my worries.” He said he was left with bruises on his chest and arms from the incident.

The court was shown a video of Arsenal fan Law heading towards the Sky Sports broadcast box after VAR ruled out a goal for Manchester United. He then appeared to leave his seat and head towards the club level where he bumped into Mr Keane.

There, the prosecution say, Law “forcefully head butted” Keane in the chest. The defendant then left the scene but was arrested the next day, the court was told.

Law told police that Keane “came at him in an aggressive manner”, which meant he threw his head back in self-defence. However, Simon Jones KC, prosecuting, said: “Self-defence does not occur in this case and there is simply no justification for the defendant’s violence. (He was) clearly the aggressor and his claims to switch to a pre-emptive stroke lack credibility.”

The trial continues and is expected to conclude on Friday.