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| Bellamy 'slapped' during club row | Bellamy 'slapped' during club row |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Wales and Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy has told a court he was slapped in the face during a nightclub argument with a 19-year-old woman. | |
| The footballer is accused of assaulting Sophie Palmer and her friend Holly Smith, 20, in February. | |
| But Mr Bellamy told Cardiff Magistrates Court he was struck after an exchange of words with Ms Palmer in a corridor at the city's No 10 nightclub. | But Mr Bellamy told Cardiff Magistrates Court he was struck after an exchange of words with Ms Palmer in a corridor at the city's No 10 nightclub. |
| The Cardiff-born 27-year-old denies two counts of common assault. | The Cardiff-born 27-year-old denies two counts of common assault. |
| The player is accused of grabbing Ms Palmer by the throat and grabbing Ms Smith's arm and pushing her into a wall. | The player is accused of grabbing Ms Palmer by the throat and grabbing Ms Smith's arm and pushing her into a wall. |
| His friend and sometime minder, Franklyn Lynch, 52, of Barry, is charged with assaulting Ms Palmer - a charge he denies. | His friend and sometime minder, Franklyn Lynch, 52, of Barry, is charged with assaulting Ms Palmer - a charge he denies. |
| The alleged assault happened at the No 10 nightclub in Cardiff | The alleged assault happened at the No 10 nightclub in Cardiff |
| The court was told that Mr Bellamy began a night out on 4 February at the nearby Soda Bar before going to No 10's VIP bar | The court was told that Mr Bellamy began a night out on 4 February at the nearby Soda Bar before going to No 10's VIP bar |
| The sportsman, who was accompanied by Mr Lynch, had also arranged to meet up with former Wales rugby international Neil Jenkins. | |
| The court heard that between 0100 GMT and 0130 GMT, the footballer caught the eye of Ms Palmer, who was walking towards him in a corridor between the VIP bar and VIP lounge. | The court heard that between 0100 GMT and 0130 GMT, the footballer caught the eye of Ms Palmer, who was walking towards him in a corridor between the VIP bar and VIP lounge. |
| Mr Bellamy's barrister, John Charles Rees QC, asked his client whether anything was said. | Mr Bellamy's barrister, John Charles Rees QC, asked his client whether anything was said. |
| Mr Bellamy replied: "She just asked me what I was looking at." | Mr Bellamy replied: "She just asked me what I was looking at." |
| When asked what he said in reply, Mr Bellamy said: "Not you. If I was looking at anyone it would be those two girls over there - they're far prettier than you." | When asked what he said in reply, Mr Bellamy said: "Not you. If I was looking at anyone it would be those two girls over there - they're far prettier than you." |
| I knew it would leak out and be in the papers, that's why I tried to shy out of it and went towards the bar Craig Bellamy | I knew it would leak out and be in the papers, that's why I tried to shy out of it and went towards the bar Craig Bellamy |
| Mr Bellamy told the court there were not really two girls behind Ms Palmer at the time. | Mr Bellamy told the court there were not really two girls behind Ms Palmer at the time. |
| The footballer said there could have been some swear words exchanged between the pair. | The footballer said there could have been some swear words exchanged between the pair. |
| Mr Bellamy told the court she then slapped him in the face which "shocked" him. | Mr Bellamy told the court she then slapped him in the face which "shocked" him. |
| When asked what Mr Lynch did, the footballer said: "He came from the right-hand side of me, got hold of her straight away and led her off. | When asked what Mr Lynch did, the footballer said: "He came from the right-hand side of me, got hold of her straight away and led her off. |
| "I knew one or two persons had seen it and I didn't want it to look like it was me. | "I knew one or two persons had seen it and I didn't want it to look like it was me. |
| "I knew it would leak out and be in the papers, that's why I tried to shy out of it and went towards the bar. | "I knew it would leak out and be in the papers, that's why I tried to shy out of it and went towards the bar. |
| "I saw she was trying to get out and trying to struggle, that's the last thing I saw before they turned the corner." | "I saw she was trying to get out and trying to struggle, that's the last thing I saw before they turned the corner." |
| Holly Smith was in the nightclub with friend Sophie Palmer | |
| Asked if at any stage he grabbed Ms Palmer by the throat as she claims, he said: "Not at all, no." | Asked if at any stage he grabbed Ms Palmer by the throat as she claims, he said: "Not at all, no." |
| The court heard that when he was later approached by police outside the club "it created a little bit of a scene". | The court heard that when he was later approached by police outside the club "it created a little bit of a scene". |
| He said he got into a police van and people were trying to take his photograph which upset him. | He said he got into a police van and people were trying to take his photograph which upset him. |
| Mr Rees asked if he had accused the officer inside the van of being jealous of his fame. | Mr Rees asked if he had accused the officer inside the van of being jealous of his fame. |
| Mr Bellamy replied: "There's no way I would have said that to him." | Mr Bellamy replied: "There's no way I would have said that to him." |
| The footballer said it took time to give his contact details to the police because he had only recently bought a new house in the Vale of Glamorgan and could not remember his address or telephone numbers. | The footballer said it took time to give his contact details to the police because he had only recently bought a new house in the Vale of Glamorgan and could not remember his address or telephone numbers. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |