Arsenal Fan Banned from Football for Three Years After Headbutting Roy Keane

An Arsenal fan who headbutted Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane during a Premier League match has been banned from football for three years. Scott Law, a 43-year-old civil engineer, attacked Keane at the Emirates Stadium during Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United last September.

The Incident

The altercation occurred towards the end of the match. Law rushed from his seat and headbutted Keane in the upper chest, causing the former Manchester United captain to stumble backward through a set of doors. Sky Sports colleague Micah Richards quickly intervened, restraining Law and pinning him to a wall as Keane angrily confronted him.

Court Proceedings

At Highbury Corner Magistrates Court, Law was found guilty of assault by beating. District Judge Angus Hamilton delivered the verdict, banning Law from all football matches for the next three years and sentencing him to 80 hours of community service. Law was also ordered to pay £650 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

“This was not a pleasant incident at all,” said the judge. “It was an assault involving a single blow, and it could have caused far more serious injury than it did. It’s good fortune that it caused bruising to Mr. Keane’s chest and arms.”

Changing Stories

The judge noted discrepancies in Law’s account of the incident. Initially, Law claimed self-defense during his arrest but later suggested at trial that Keane had run into his head. Judge Hamilton found this explanation improbable, stating, “It is very unlikely Mr. Keane chose on that day to involve himself in a physical confrontation.”

The judge also dismissed the defense’s suggestion that Micah Richards, who provided crucial evidence, was acting as Keane’s “stooge.” Judge Hamilton commended Richards for his honest testimony.

Reaction and Impact

In a statement, Keane said he had taken a step back from football temporarily to reflect on the incident but declined to provide a full impact statement. Charles Sherrard KC, representing Law, argued that the football banning order would be particularly harsh for Law, describing football as "his life."

Scott Law, a lifelong Arsenal fan and father of two from Waltham Abbey in Essex, attended the match on September 3, the day of the incident. He believed Manchester United had scored a last-minute winner, which may have contributed to the heated encounter.

Conclusion

This incident underscores the ongoing issue of fan misconduct in football. The court's decision to impose a football ban highlights the severity with which such actions are viewed and the commitment to maintaining safety and order at sporting events.