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| Police officers accused of pressuring football fan to drop assault complaint | Police officers accused of pressuring football fan to drop assault complaint |
| (8 days later) | |
| Two Merseyside police officers who were involved in a brawl outside a pub while off duty have gone on trial accused of perverting the course of justice by attempting to persuade a Liverpool fan to withdraw evidence against them. | Two Merseyside police officers who were involved in a brawl outside a pub while off duty have gone on trial accused of perverting the course of justice by attempting to persuade a Liverpool fan to withdraw evidence against them. |
| Greg Symon, 39, a detective sergeant with the force, and Christopher Sheron, 43, a detective constable, are accused with six others of attempting to force Scott Wells to retract his statement complaining of assault. The trial, which could take eight weeks, is at Preston crown court. | Greg Symon, 39, a detective sergeant with the force, and Christopher Sheron, 43, a detective constable, are accused with six others of attempting to force Scott Wells to retract his statement complaining of assault. The trial, which could take eight weeks, is at Preston crown court. |
| The court heard that Symon and Sheron, both Everton fans, allegedly attempted to pervert the course of justice after a fight outside the King Harry pub in Anfield Road, near the Anfield football stadium where Liverpool were playing Everton on 16 January 2011. | The court heard that Symon and Sheron, both Everton fans, allegedly attempted to pervert the course of justice after a fight outside the King Harry pub in Anfield Road, near the Anfield football stadium where Liverpool were playing Everton on 16 January 2011. |
| Sheron allegedly strangled Wells until his "face was turning blue and his eyes were rolling backwards", the court heard. Symon who is a member of the force's elite Matrix unit, allegedly threatened and abused Wells. | Sheron allegedly strangled Wells until his "face was turning blue and his eyes were rolling backwards", the court heard. Symon who is a member of the force's elite Matrix unit, allegedly threatened and abused Wells. |
| Opening the prosecution case, Hugh McKee said the officers sought to cover up their role in the fight and used their contacts at both football clubs to put pressur on Wells to withdraw his complaint. | Opening the prosecution case, Hugh McKee said the officers sought to cover up their role in the fight and used their contacts at both football clubs to put pressur on Wells to withdraw his complaint. |
| A third officer, Detective Sergeant Mark Scarratt, is charged with misconduct in a public office after allegedly passing confidential information about the ongoing investigation to Sheron. He denies the charge. | A third officer, Detective Sergeant Mark Scarratt, is charged with misconduct in a public office after allegedly passing confidential information about the ongoing investigation to Sheron. He denies the charge. |
| The court was told that trouble broke out outside the pub, a popular pre-match haunt for football fans, before the early-afternoon kick-off of the local derby match. Carl Larsen, an off-duty officer who was a friend of Sheron and Symon, had his jaw broken. | The court was told that trouble broke out outside the pub, a popular pre-match haunt for football fans, before the early-afternoon kick-off of the local derby match. Carl Larsen, an off-duty officer who was a friend of Sheron and Symon, had his jaw broken. |
| Wells was with his friend Dean Morrison outside the pub when the violence erupted. He was scared, the court was told, and said he wanted to leave as the fight was getting bigger. As he walked away, he felt an arm around his neck and he was pulled backwards and the right side of his face grazed the floor. The prosecution said there was "no dispute" it was Sheron who did this. | Wells was with his friend Dean Morrison outside the pub when the violence erupted. He was scared, the court was told, and said he wanted to leave as the fight was getting bigger. As he walked away, he felt an arm around his neck and he was pulled backwards and the right side of his face grazed the floor. The prosecution said there was "no dispute" it was Sheron who did this. |
| As the grip around his neck got tighter and tighter, Wells was losing his breath, the court heard, and Sheron called him "a shithouse". Onlookers shouted at Sheron to let Wells go, the prosecutor said, and Wells thought he was going to die. | As the grip around his neck got tighter and tighter, Wells was losing his breath, the court heard, and Sheron called him "a shithouse". Onlookers shouted at Sheron to let Wells go, the prosecutor said, and Wells thought he was going to die. |
| Wells made a complaint of assault and agreed to be swabbed for DNA and hand over his clothes. But a week later, he told detectives he no longer wanted to assist police. | Wells made a complaint of assault and agreed to be swabbed for DNA and hand over his clothes. But a week later, he told detectives he no longer wanted to assist police. |
| The prosecution claim this was as a result of the pressure exerted by the two officers, indirectly through the six other defendants. The court heard Sheron and Symon were concerned about what evidence existed and in the days that followed "they set about finding out the state of the police investigation". By 18 January, Sheron was pretending he was concussed, it was alleged. | The prosecution claim this was as a result of the pressure exerted by the two officers, indirectly through the six other defendants. The court heard Sheron and Symon were concerned about what evidence existed and in the days that followed "they set about finding out the state of the police investigation". By 18 January, Sheron was pretending he was concussed, it was alleged. |
| Five days later, both officers were making plans to find alternative employment fighting pirates off the coast of Somalia, the prosecutor said. | Five days later, both officers were making plans to find alternative employment fighting pirates off the coast of Somalia, the prosecutor said. |
| They deny perverting the course of public justice along with Colin Stewart, 43, of Bootle; Kevin Morland, 36, of Allerton; Niall Macklin, 21, and Christopher Hannon, 24, of Prenton; Stephen Foster, 30, of Orrell Park; and John Nuttall, 45, of Old Swan. Scarratt, 43, of Tuebrook, denies misconduct in a public office. | They deny perverting the course of public justice along with Colin Stewart, 43, of Bootle; Kevin Morland, 36, of Allerton; Niall Macklin, 21, and Christopher Hannon, 24, of Prenton; Stephen Foster, 30, of Orrell Park; and John Nuttall, 45, of Old Swan. Scarratt, 43, of Tuebrook, denies misconduct in a public office. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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