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    Boxer David Haye arrives to face trial after ‘assaulting man’ at Hammersmith Apollo

    FORMER boxer David Haye has today arrived at court where he is due to stand trial charged with assaulting a man at a gig.The 41-year-old former cruiserweight and heavyweight world champion allegedly attacked Nickesh Jhala at the Hammersmith Apollo.
    David Haye is due to stand trial todayCredit: PA
    Haye was later arrested and charged as he stepped off a plane at Heathrow Airport in June.
    The alleged attack took place on October 30, 2021.
    Haye has arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with assault.
    He will give evidence at the two-day trial, which will hear from nine witnesses in total.
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    Haye is one of Britain’s most successful boxers – with a record 28 victories and just four defeats in his career.
    He spent time as both cruiserweight and heavyweight champion of the world before retiring in 2018.
    Haye made a one-fight comeback in September 2021, defeating good friend Joe Fournier in an exhibition clash.
    In 2012, the boxer appeared on I’m a Celebrity and came third.
    Haye is one of the UK’s most successful boxersCredit: PA
    He became a unified cruiserweight world champion in 2008Credit: AFP
    He then claimed the WBA title in 2009 after moving up to heavyweight statusCredit: Getty More

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    Premier League international arrested on suspicion of raping two women has bail extended

    A PREMIER League footballer under investigation for two alleged rapes has had his bail extended by the Met Police.The player is accused of raping two women in separate attacks, one in June this year and one in April 2021.
    The star was arrested on suspicion of rape in JulyCredit: Getty
    The international star, 29, was arrested at his North London home on suspicion of rape in July after an alleged victim came forward.
    She claimed she was raped during a sunshine break in the Mediterranean in June.
    The alleged victim fled her five-star resort and flew home to her friends and family.
    She spoke to police on her return to the UK and attended a police station to make a full statement.
    She showed detectives photos that she claimed highlighted bruising on her body after the alleged attack.
    After his initial arrest he was later re-arrested on suspicion of two more counts from April and June 2021.
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    Cops later decided not to pursue the latter of those two accusations.
    He was bailed to August, which was then extended to this month and has now been extended again.
    A magistrates court is likely to approve the extension and confirm the bail conditions next week.
    It was previously reported that his club knew of the accusations last autumn, but that the player continued to play last season and has been a regular in 2022-23.
    He was also reportedly due to play in the World Cup in Qatar next month.
    The club confirmed in July that it would select him until further notice and that he would not be suspended.
    Neither the club nor the player are being named for legal reasons.
    A statement from The Met said: “On 4 July, a 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of rape and taken into custody.
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    “While in custody, he was further arrested on suspicion of two incidents of rape that were alleged to have been committed in April and June of 2021 against a different woman in her 20s.
    “The man was bailed until a date in early October but his bail has since been extended further – an exact date has yet to be confirmed.” More

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    Steven Gerrard’s daughter Lilly, 18, finds love with son of villain linked to crime cartel

    STEVEN Gerrard’s daughter Lilly has found love with the son of a villain linked to a notorious crime cartel.Influencer Lilly, 18, has been seeing Lee Byrne, 23, since around April.
    Lilly Gerrard has recently returned from a holiday to Ibiza with her boyfriend
    Influencer Lilly Gerrard has been seeing Lee Byrne for the last few monthsCredit:
    Lilly is said to be a frequent visitor to Lee’s apartment in Formby
    The pair enjoyed a sun-soaked holiday in Ibiza this summer, said to be there at the same time with friends, and have shared photos online including one of Lee kissing her on the head.
    Another snap shows Lee relaxing on a private jet as he and Lilly — who has nearly 200,000 followers on Instagram — returned home to the UK in style last week from a trip.
    There is no suggestion either are involved with the gang or any criminality.
    Lilly’s former England and Liverpool star dad Steven, 42, was last week pictured alongside Lee’s dad Liam, 41, on a video call.
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    Byrne Snr is a close associate of Irish businessman Daniel Kinahan, who has been linked to killings in the UK, money laundering and a multi-million pound drug smuggling racket.
    Byrne Snr’s links to the Kinahan cartel emerged in Ireland’s High Court in 2018 when it was claimed that he was at “the very top tier” of organised crime.
    Lawyers told the court Byrne was a “close and trusted associate and lieutenant” of Kinahan.
    Lee had his own brush with the law in January when he was given a warning by Merseyside Police for crashing his £80,000 BMW M3 on the M62.
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    Friends say he and Lilly enjoy going on dates and she has been a frequent visitor to his apartment in Formby.
    The pair have also been spotted at a coffee bar.
    In one image she shared online, Lilly showed off Lee’s initials on one of her fingernails, while in snaps of them together she has covered his face with a love heart emoji.
    The pair were also spotted taking the Gerrard family’s two dogs Barney and Blondie for a walk in Formby.
    Last week, a video emerged of Aston Villa manager Gerrard with Byrne Snr sat together in a bar in Ibiza.
    It is not known how the pair met but during the video call, Gerrard offered to take a Liverpool fan to “see the Reds” as Byrne sits next to him and smiles.
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    Byrne then offered to arrange a dinner with Gerrard and the fan at Byrne’s home in the UK.
    Gerrard’s reps were contacted for comment.
    Lilly celebrated as dad Steven led Rangers to win the Scottish Premiership title in 2021Credit: INSTAGRAM/ LILLY.GERRARDD
    Lilly Gerrard has more than 200,000 followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram
    Lilly’s dad Steven played football for Liverpool and EnglandCredit: instagram
    Lilly and Lee enjoyed a sun-soaked holiday in Ibiza this summerCredit: Instagram
    Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has recently had contact with Byrne SrCredit: Getty More

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    AFC Fylde manager James Rowe RESIGNS from National League club after being charged with sexual assault

    AFC Fylde manager James Rowe has resigned from the non-league club.The ex-Chesterfield boss was this week charged with sexual assault.
    Rowe while in charge of Chesterfield, a club he left by mutual consentCredit: Alamy
    A Fylde club statement said: “Following a meeting this afternoon, the board have accepted James Rowe’s resignation as manager of the club.
    “Andy Taylor will take temporary charge until a new manager is appointed.
    “There will be no further comment from anyone at this time.”
    Rowe, 39, is alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman in Chesterfield in November last year.
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    The former West Ham academy coach was in charge of Chesterfield at the time and left the club in February by “mutual consent” following a suspension.
    Rowe is due to appear in court next month.
    In a statement Derbyshire Constabulary: “A man has been charged with sexual assault.
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    “In January this year, officers received a report of a man having sexually assaulted a woman in Chesterfield, with the offence alleged to have taken place in November 2021.
    “James Rowe, 39, of Breaston, in Derby, has now been charged and is due to appear before magistrates at Chesterfield Justice Centre on Monday 7 November.” More

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    Boxing champion Jai Opetia ‘told police officers to “f*** off” and urinated in cell’ after nightclub arrest

    AUSTRALIAN boxing world champion Jai Opetaia was slammed by a magistrate for aggressive behaviour towards police and urinating in his cell after an arrest.Opetaia was charged with remaining in the vicinity of a licensed premises after being excluded, behaving in an offensive manner in a public place and using offensive language in a public place.
    Jai Opetaia was slammed by a magistrate for aggressive behaviour towards policeCredit: @jaiopetaia_
    The IBF champion became aggressive and refused to answer police questions.
    And court documents reveal he began banging on his cell door, urinated in his prison and verbally abused officers following his recent arrest.
    Charges relate to an August 14 night out in Sydney where the unbeaten boxer and a friend attempted to enter Home Nightclub on Cockle Bay Wharf.
    The pair walked towards the exit to the premises, where the security guard denied them entry – telling them to use the correct entrance.
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    They then moved towards the security guard, prompting five men to grab Opetaia and move him away.
    The cruiserweight star was asked to leave after getting into an argument with security – but he remained in the area.
    He was restrained until police arrived and put him in handcuffs.
    According to court documents, Opetaia became aggressive with police and loudly said ‘f**k you’ to the officers who gave him a final warning and told him he was being recorded.
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    He said: “You f***ing idiots, I’ve sat here arrested… for nothing.”
    He also shouted at one officer: “You are a dumb four-eyed piece of s***.”
    Opetaia faced court for the first time on Wednesday where defence lawyer Jason Murakami entered a plea of guilty on his behalf.
    Mr Murakami asked magistrate Daniel Covington to consider “exercising discretion” given that Opetaia entered a guilty plea, had no criminal history and the objective seriousness was low.
    The lawyer said his client was very remorseful and worried about his poor behaviour more than his sporting career being affected.
    Opetaia shot to fame in July when he defeated Latvian Mairis Briedis, 37, to win his title belt.
    He has also represented Australia at the 2012 Olympics at the age of just 16 and then the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
    Jai Opetaia beat Mairis Briedis for the IBF cruiserweight titleCredit: Getty More

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    Footie fan who threw flare at ref becomes FIRST woman in Britain to be banned from ALL MATCHES

    A FOOTBALL fan who threw a flare at a referee has become the first woman in Britain to be banned from all matches.CCTV footage showed Abbie-Leigh Reay, 23, dancing in celebration when the missile landed near ref Lee Swabey and the opposition goalie.
    Abbie-Leigh Reay has become the first woman in Britain to be banned from all soccer grounds
    Police stopped the Tranmere fan as she left her team’s 4-0 League Two defeat to Forest Green Rovers in January.
    Despite her arrest, Reay posted winking pictures of her at the match with her girlfriend, along with a laughing emoji and the caption: “Before it all went downhill.”
    One of her comments read: “Just hope I don’t get banned.”
    Aldi worker Reay, of Bebington, Wirral, got a three-year ban after she was convicted of throwing a missile on to a football playing area.
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    Sefton JPs fined her £250 with £654 costs.
    Sentencing, District Judge Paul Healey, said: “You throw the flare on to the pitch which puts people there at risk.
    “No one is struck but there is a risk and as a result of your actions, police and stewards had to intervene.
    “There was a large crowd which put them in a difficult situation.
    Most read in The Sun
    “They have to take action.
    “There is a risk of it escalating further.”
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    Manchester City hooligan fined for throwing flare onto pitch which landed close to goalie Ederson

    A MANCHESTER City hooligan has been fined for throwing a flare onto the pitch during the Champions League semi-final – which landed close to goalie Ederson.Bradley Holden, 24, celebrated when his team went 2-0 up against Real Madrid at the Etihad.
    Bradley Holden has been fined for throwing a flare onto the pitch at the EtihadCredit: STEVE ALLEN
    The flare landed close to goalkeepr EdersonCredit: Getty
    He was caught on CCTV later removing his top in a bid to avoid detection but was arrested at the game.
    Holden, a season ticket holder, tried to claim that he threw the flare in “panic” because he was so concerned about a fellow fan having an asthma attack.
    Miss Emily Potter, prosecuting at Manchester Magistrates’ Court, said his actions had shown “disregard” for the safety of his fellow supporters and the police sought to impose a football banning order against him.
    Holden told the court that he hadn’t lit the flare and only became aware of it after another fan pointed at it on the floor.
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    He said: “I looked down and heard an elderly male say, ‘What the…I’ve got asthma.”
    “I had a blind panic and wanted to get it away as quickly as possible.”
    He said that he had a friend who’d died from an asthma attack six years ago and he was also aware of the dangers from discussions with his primary school teacher partner
    CCTV footage revealed the flare landed near City goalie Ederson.
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    Holden, who pleaded guilty to charges of throwing a missile onto a football pitch and possession of a flare at an earlier hearing, also denied trying to disguise his identity by removing his top.
    Mark Kelllett, defending, said Holden was a man of good character who had never been involved in any other incidents at football matches, and a football banning order was unnecessary.
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    District judge Joanne Hirst agreed and said she had “taken into account the unusual circumstances” and believed Holden had shown an “instinctive reaction” on seeing the lit flare and it was clear he hadn’t brought it into the stadium.
    She handed Holden, of Hyde, Gtr Manchester, a £500 fine and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £50 surcharge. More

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    Burton Albion star William Kokolo denies three charges of rape as he’s banned from leaving UK

    A LEAGUE One footballer denied three charges of rape today before he was banned from leaving the UK.Burton Albion star William Kokolo appeared at Birmingham Crown Court today charged with the offences which were allegedly committed against one woman on the same day.
    Burton Albion football William Kokolo has denied three charges of rapeCredit: SWNS
    Kokolo was released on conditional bail and ordered to hand over his passportCredit: Getty
    He appeared at Birmingham Crown Court todayCredit: PA
    Kokolo, 22, allegedly assaulted the woman in the Birmingham area on February 13 this year.
    The judge denied the Burton Albion defender’s application to be allowed to travel to Paris in November for his sister’s wedding and ordered Kokolo to surrender his passport.
    French-born Kokolo, who wore a navy suit, white shirt and black tie, was granted conditional bail.
    A preliminary trial date has been set for June next year with his next court appearance scheduled for March.
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    During the 19-minute hearing, the footballer only spoke when asked to confirm his name and pleas.
    Judge Paul Farrer KC said: “Williams Kokolo would you stand up please.
    “I have fixed your trial for the 5th of June next year, although enquiries will be made behind the scenes to find if it will be possible to take place some earlier time.
    “You will be back before the court on the 3rd March next year.
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    “You’ve been on bail and I enlarge your bail on the following terms.
    “You must not leave the United Kingdom and your passport must be surrendered and you must not apply for travel documents.
    “If you move permanent address you must inform your solicitors.
    “If you breach any of those conditions you will be arrested.”
    Kokolo joined Burton Albion at the start of this year.
    A club statement said: “Burton Albion is fully aware of the charges that have been made against one of our players and the club has spoken to the player and his legal representatives.
    “As this is an ongoing legal process, the club is unable to make any further comment until legal proceedings are concluded.” More