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| Man 'killed after Rooney chant' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A late night reveller killed a stranger for saying he looked like soccer star Wayne Rooney, a court has heard. | A late night reveller killed a stranger for saying he looked like soccer star Wayne Rooney, a court has heard. |
| Anthony Corsi, 24, was on a night out when a group of men began chanting "Rooney, Rooney" at him at a taxi rank in Cardiff city centre. | Anthony Corsi, 24, was on a night out when a group of men began chanting "Rooney, Rooney" at him at a taxi rank in Cardiff city centre. |
| Cardiff Crown Court was told that Mr Corsi swung a punch at Christopher Jones, 21, of Marshfield, who died a week later from a head injury. | Cardiff Crown Court was told that Mr Corsi swung a punch at Christopher Jones, 21, of Marshfield, who died a week later from a head injury. |
| Mr Corsi, of Cardiff, denies manslaughter. The trial continues. | Mr Corsi, of Cardiff, denies manslaughter. The trial continues. |
| The incident happened at 0500 on 21 October, 2007 as Mr Corsi was on his way home after a night out in Cardiff. | |
| The court heard Mr Jones was hit and suffered bleeding to the brain. | The court heard Mr Jones was hit and suffered bleeding to the brain. |
| He was expected to make a full recovery - but collapsed and died a week later in hospital. | He was expected to make a full recovery - but collapsed and died a week later in hospital. |
| Prosecutor Roger Thomas QC told the jury: "It doesn't matter whether you think Corsi looks like Mr Rooney or not - it was a drunken joke. | Prosecutor Roger Thomas QC told the jury: "It doesn't matter whether you think Corsi looks like Mr Rooney or not - it was a drunken joke. |
| Christopher Jones died a week after the alleged attack | Christopher Jones died a week after the alleged attack |
| "Corsi should have gone home but he was angry and annoyed and looking for trouble. | "Corsi should have gone home but he was angry and annoyed and looking for trouble. |
| "It was wholly unnecessary. | "It was wholly unnecessary. |
| "We are not saying it was murder but Corsi did start unlawful violence." | "We are not saying it was murder but Corsi did start unlawful violence." |
| British Gas adviser Christopher Aberg was with Mr Jones at the time of the attack and admitted he had started the "Rooney, Rooney" football-style chants. | British Gas adviser Christopher Aberg was with Mr Jones at the time of the attack and admitted he had started the "Rooney, Rooney" football-style chants. |
| He told the court: "I called him Rooney as a joke because I thought he looked like him and I could see he was annoyed by the reaction on his face. | He told the court: "I called him Rooney as a joke because I thought he looked like him and I could see he was annoyed by the reaction on his face. |
| "He said: "Do I look ginger?" then got in the taxi as we were shouting "Rooney, Rooney." | "He said: "Do I look ginger?" then got in the taxi as we were shouting "Rooney, Rooney." |
| "The gentleman came back, moved towards Chris and hit him." | "The gentleman came back, moved towards Chris and hit him." |
| John Charles Rees QC, defending, told Mr Aberg: "You might call him gentleman now but you weren't treating him as such that night. | John Charles Rees QC, defending, told Mr Aberg: "You might call him gentleman now but you weren't treating him as such that night. |
| "He was a total stranger but was goaded, wound up and provoked. | "He was a total stranger but was goaded, wound up and provoked. |
| "I don't want to insult Wayne Rooney but his looks have become a bit of a figure of fun and you knew my client would take offence." | "I don't want to insult Wayne Rooney but his looks have become a bit of a figure of fun and you knew my client would take offence." |
| Mr Corsi admitted he "over-reacted" when he was taunted about looking like Wayne Rooney after climbing into a taxi at the end of a night out. | Mr Corsi admitted he "over-reacted" when he was taunted about looking like Wayne Rooney after climbing into a taxi at the end of a night out. |
| The court heard he told police: "I was upset about what they called me and I stopped the car and got out. | The court heard he told police: "I was upset about what they called me and I stopped the car and got out. |
| "I was angry, nervous, upset and drunk. Maybe it was the way he approached, I just remember him coming towards me and I hit him. | "I was angry, nervous, upset and drunk. Maybe it was the way he approached, I just remember him coming towards me and I hit him. |
| "I suppose I felt threatened and over-reacted." | "I suppose I felt threatened and over-reacted." |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |