Results tagged “Steven Gerrard” from Birmingham Mail - Is It Just Me

Now just supposing someone like Roy of the Rovers had been charged with, I don't know, let's say for the sake of argument, affray, after pummelling someone in a night club like a latter day Bombardier Billy Wells.

I don't think the bit about justice being seen to be done would have stood up to scrutiny that well if the trial had been held at Melchester Crown Court just as the new season starts up.

The Steven Gerrard case throws up a bit of a dilemma. No one who didn't sit through the entire case hearing every scrap of evidence can really know if they would have agreed or disagreed with the jury.

Remember Gerrard supposedly received threats when there was talk of him moving to Chelsea so did it run through the mind of jurors that if they were responsible for him missing half the season or more because he was playing for Lags XI they might not be first in line for Freedom of the City? It is all pressure that should not be there.

To try the Liverpool skipper, the local hero, in his home city just before the start of the new season raises doubts that should not be anywhere near the case after a not guilty verdict.

It would have been so much better for justice and for Gerrard if the case had been held somewhere away from Liverpool and any of the cities of their Premiership rivals, such as Manchester or London. Somewhere such as Shrewsbury or Worcester would have meant not guilty meant just that with no suspicion of home advantage or reservations about the verdict.