Tonight:
5°c
The man allegedly punched by England footballer Steven Gerrard during a bar room brawl today relived the attack in court.
Marcus McGee, 34, said he faced a “barrage” of blows after the Liverpool captain asked him “who the f**k” he thought he was when he refused to hand over control of a CD player.
He lost a front tooth crown in the attack in the early hours of 29 December last year, Liverpool crown court heard.
Mr McGee, who was initially attacked by Gerrard's friend John Doran, said he thought the soccer player struck the first blow.
He said: “I remember a barrage of punches coming in at my face but I didn't know who has done what.
“Having watched the CCTV it was obvious Steven Gerrard hits me a couple of times, maybe three times, but I couldn't honestly say on the night.”
Mr McGee said he was in the Lounge Inn with his girlfriend Gina Lond and was asked by the manager to be in charge of the music.
Watching the CCTV footage along with the seven women and five men of the jury, Mr McGee said he threw no punches and was in a “nondescript” mood. Being led through his evidence by prosecuting barrister David Turner QC, Mr McGee explained what happened before the trouble began.
Reliving the 2am row, Mr McGee said the millionaire father-of-two footballer tried to grab a card from his hand which controlled the CD player.
He said: “Mr Gerrard came to me from my left hand side and requested he wanted control of the music.
“It was something to the effect of Here you are, lad, give me that'.”
“You recognised Steven Gerrard?” asked Mr Turner.
“Of course,” said the victim. “I didn't give it to him, no. It wasn't my permission to be giving it out to somebody else, it was my job so I didn't hand it over.
“He made a move to try to grab the card to take it away and I remember it slipped on the floor at one stage.”
Gerrard, 29, who was celebrating Liverpool's 5-1 win over Newcastle, is shown on CCTV walking away before he returned several minutes later.
Gerrard allegedly said: “Who the f**k do you think you are?”
Mr McGee said: “When someone says something like that to you, well, I felt threatened and vulnerable sitting down and looking up so my instinct was to stand up and talk to him. I didn't throw any punches.”
Gerrard denies one charge of affray. The trial continues.
