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      Man City star Phil Foden’s mum nicked for flicking off man’s cap in club – before telling court ‘it’s my party trick’

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      FOOTIE star Phil Foden’s mum was nicked for assault and told police: “I’m like an animal when I’ve been drinking.”Claire Rowlands, 44, also admitted “I was a bit of a bitch” after she raged at officers during a vodka and tequila-fuelled girls’ weekend.
      Phil Foden’s mum nicked for assault after flicking off a man’s cap in a clubCredit: Getty
      Claire hides under her coat as she leaves Llandudno magistrates’ courtCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
      She kicked off after bouncers ejected her for a fracas sparked by her “party trick” of flicking off a man’s cap, a court heard.
      Rowlands had been invited to a pal’s caravan for a “respite break” — telling magistrates that her youngest son was severely disabled and needed 24-hour care.
      She necked shots and partied at a sports bar before clashing with the male clubber in Towyn, North Wales, last September.
      After her ejection, she told cops to “f*** off”, was cuffed and spent the night in the cells.
      READ MORE ON PHIL FODEN
      She admitted in an interview: “I kicked off with the police officers. I was a bit of a bitch.”
      The stay-at-home mum added she did not drink often but was “like an animal” when she did.
      At Llandudno magistrates’ court, she was cleared of assault by beating, but fined for being drunk and disorderly.
      Rowlands, wed to Phil Foden Snr, 45, told JPs that looking after her disabled son was “hard work most of the time”.
      Most read in Football
      As a result, two pals had treated her to a weekend in a caravan owned by the aunt of a friend.
      Hours before her September 9 booze-up, England midfielder Phil, 23, came on as a sub for a Euro 2024 qualifier 1-1 draw in Ukraine.
      Rowlands told the court: “The plan was just to go out, have a laugh, let our hair down and enjoy ourselves. We went to the caravan, had a few cans, washed our hair and got all dressed up.”
      She said they went to a bar on the caravan site and “had some fun, doing some karaoke and getting all the old people dancing to Motown”.
      Rowlands said she was drinking vodka and tequila shots and the group moved to Sunny’s in Towyn.
      She told the court: “It was a bit of a sports bar. There were loads of local families. It was quite full.
      “It was a good atmosphere, everyone was chatting and getting on. “We were getting on the karaoke, giving everyone the confidence to sing and just having fun.”
      Phil Foden with his mum Claire and dad Phil SnrCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/BrOHNDrgVS0/?hl=en&img_index=1
      Rowlands said she was drinking vodka and tequila shots and the group moved to Sunny’s in Towyn.Credit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
      When the bar closed, the party went upstairs to Bentley’s nightclub, which opened at 10pm.
      Rowlands said: “My friends were speaking to a couple of lads. “There was no animosity, I was drunk and enjoying myself.”
      The court heard that Rowlands was then asked to leave by ­doormen who accused her of assaulting someone.
      Magistrates watched a 30-second CCTV clip from the club which showed Rowlands knocking a baseball cap off Paul Shortman’s head before picking it up off the floor and swinging her arm in a bid to put it back on him.
      Her solicitor Simon Martin said the footage showed her chatting to Mr Shortman at the bar and showed her knocking his cap off by hitting the peak.
      Mr Martin asked her: “What was going through your mind?”
      She replied: “I was just drunk. I was having a bit of fun. I had done it to a lad earlier. It was just a bit of fun, really.”
      Mr Martin asked: “Did you have any intent to harm him?”
      She replied: “No.” Mr Martin said the CCTV showed her walk across the dancefloor and pick up the cap.
      She said: “I was just wanting to put his cap back on.”
      Mr Martin said Mr Shortman ducked and the cap went on the floor again without physical contact.
      Rowlands said: “I was drunk. It was just a bit of fun, a bit of ­banter. I just could not believe it, that I could get into trouble for knocking someone’s cap off. It’s my party trick, knocking someone’s cap off and putting it back on.”
      Cross-examined by prosecutor Rachel Drew she agreed that she had told police in interview that she was “like an animal” when she had been drinking.
      Rowlands told police: “I do not drink often but when I do, I make up for time. I am like an animal.”
      She agreed that she had thought Mr Shortman was one of a group of lads they had been chatting to at the downstairs bar.
      She said: “We were having drinks with different people. We were just chilling. We had been having some fun downstairs, singing Sweet Caroline and jumping around and I knocked this lad’s cap off.”
      Foden’s mum was abusive to officers and a body-worn camera showed her shouting at them to ‘f*** off’ before she was cuffed and arrestedCredit: Getty
      Rowlands disagreed that her actions had been reckless.
      She added: “I did not mean him any harm or to hurt him and you can see that on the video. It was just a bit of banter which has been taken the wrong way.”
      In his closing speech Mr Martin said: “The video speaks for itself. Yes, she knocks his cap off and it goes to the floor. It is not a criminal offence. This is not a case of someone being punched or kicked. You can see it for what it is, a storm in a tea cup.”
      The court heard Mr Shortman had not attended to give evidence.
      Chairman of the magistrates Duncan Campbell said the prosecution had not proved assault.
      He added: “It is clear at the time that you were drunk, fooling around having fun. It is for the prosecution to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and that you intended to use force.
      “It is telling that Mr Shortman has not attended and that your actions were not consensual. Therefore we find you not guilty.”
      Rowlands, of Prestbury, Cheshire, was dealt with separately for being drunk and disorderly outside the club.
      She had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing. For that she was fined £100, with £85 costs and a £40 surcharge.
      PC Stephen Gunning told the court that Rowlands had been “stumbling with her speech slurred and her eyes glazed”.
      She was abusive to officers and a body-worn camera showed her shouting at them to “f*** off” before she was cuffed and arrested.
      Mr Martin said Rowlands had reacted badly to having been thrown out of the nightclub for an assault which she felt she had not committed.
      He said that she “readily accepts that she lost it and is remorseful”.
      Mr Martin said she was a stay-at-home mum with no income and was not in receipt of any benefits.
      Rowlands was given 90 days to pay the £225 in fines and costs.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      She left court with her coat over her head, along with Phil Snr.
      The couple are directors of PWF Management Ltd, named after their son’s initials, Philip Walter Foden.
      SUPS ‘N DOWNS
      PHIL Foden’s proud mum Claire has ­supported his career since his footballing talent was spotted aged four.
      A Manchester City scout was alerted to Foden while he was at Bridge Hall primary in working-class Edgeley, Stockport.
      But life has not all been plain sailing. In May 2021 Claire was caught in a boozy brawl which left a woman with black eyes.
      Katie Skitt needed a tetanus jab after finding bite marks in Stockport.
      In February 2022 Claire clashed with boxing fans after Phil was verbally abused following Kell Brook’s win over Amir Khan.
      Phone footage showed her appearing to push a yob before he swung at her. Another man punched out in her defence.
      Cops investigated and City said the club was appalled by the assault on Claire.
      A month later she and hubby Phil Snr provoked complaints to police over loud music at their £2.85million home. More

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      Armed police ‘called in to contain angry journalists’ after Chris Hughton’s Ghana suffer Afcon humiliation

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      ARMED cops were called in to deal with fuming Ghanaian journalists with the country on the brink of an early Africa Cup of Nations exit.The Black Stars were leading Mozambique by two goals in stoppage time before an incredible collapse.
      Ghanaian journalists raged after finding out their team tried to avoid media dutiesCredit: @SaddickAdams
      Armed police were sent down to control the situationCredit: @SaddickAdams
      Ghana first gave away a penalty and then conceded from a corner in the 94th minute.
      Chris Hughton’s side now need several results to go their way in order to make it through to the knockout stages.
      Ghana have failed to win a match at three consecutive Afcons.
      With most accepting they are out this year’s tournament, angry journalists went downstairs at Alassane Ouattara Stadium to interrogate the manager and players.
      READ MORE AFCON NEWS
      Reporter Saddick Adams claims media workers waited over an hour before suddenly realising the Ghana flops were not going to turn up.
      The team bus reportedly “strategically parked at the entrance of the dressing room” with players ready to make a quick escape.
      Barricades were then erected to create a path for the Ghana stars to get to the bus.
      But the journalists were having none of it, refusing to move and stopping security from bringing the players out their dressing room.
      Most read in Football
      As tempers flared, armed cops were called in to help deal with the situation.
      Media staff stood their ground and the players eventually had to walk past them.
      The team got booed and “unpleasant words” were exchanged.
      Adams insists: “Nobody was ready to harm anyone and nobody vandalised any bus.
      “We have tolerated this for far too long. This team was built with the toil and sweat of a few honest and dedicated individuals. We won’t allow a few to destroy it. Today, we will show them our anger.”
      After the game, ex-Brighton and Newcastle boss Hughton said: “I take responsibility for this performance and admit my results with the Black Stars have not been good enough.”
      Crazy stoppage time comeback…
      Ghana looked to be cruising 2-0 up against Mozambique and set to sneak through to the last 16 after losing their first game to Cape Verde and drawing their second with Egypt.
      Suddenly, the ref pointed to the spot as the ball hit ex-Prem star Andre Ayew’s outstretched arm.
      Geny Catamo converted the spot-kick and then in the 94th minute goalkeeper Richard Ofori made a huge error.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      The ball was bouncing out for a goal-kick when he tried to keep the ball in – only for it to hit his hand and go behind for a corner.
      It gave Mozambique one last chance to load the box and they were rewarded as Reinildo Mandava’s looping header dropped into the net to break Ghana hearts.
      Ghana’s goalkeeper Richard Ofori made a mistake that led to the equaliserCredit: AFP
      Ghana have been sent home early from the Afcon againCredit: AFP More

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      Ex-Premier League star Hamza Choudhury charged with drink-driving after being pulled over in early hours

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      FOOTBALL ace Hamza Choudhury has been charged with drink-driving, The Sun can reveal.The Leicester City midfielder, 26, was stopped by cops in south Nottingham in the early hours of the morning last Friday.
      Leicester star Hamza Choudhury has been charged with drink-driving offences
      He is understood to have refused to take a breathalyser test and was arrested at the scene.
      Choudhury was later charged with driving while over the alcohol limit, driving without due care and attention and failing to cooperate with a preliminary test.
      The star is currently free on unconditional bail and will appear in court for the first time next month.
      He played in last night’s 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town.
      Read More Sport
      A source told The Sun: “He was driving very early in the morning and was pulled over by officers quite close to his home.
      “Because Leicester didn’t have a game the next day, he felt he could be out that late.
      “He is supposed to be a role model in the community and was seen as a future club captain as he grew up and matured.”
      Choudhury, who lives in nearby Nottingham despite playing for Leicester, is considered one of the best defensive midfielders in the Championship.
      Most read in Football
      The £50,000-a-week ace played more than 50 Premier League games and won the FA Cup with Leicester City before they were relegated to the second tier last year.
      The star was previously touted as a potential England pick, after representing the Three Lions at Under 21 level in 2018 and 2019.
      His car collection includes a £170,000 Bentley Bentayga and a £80,000 Range Rover which he reportedly bought on the same day in 2022.
      It is unclear which of his motors the star was driving at the time of his arrest.
      The booze charge is the latest in a string of incidents involving the married father-of-three, who has previously spoken of his devout Muslim faith.
      Just weeks after Hamas attacked Israeli civilians last October, Choudhury was slammed for posting the phrase: “From the river to the sea.”
      The slogan is commonly interpreted as calling for the destruction of the Israeli state.
      In 2021 Choudhury was slammed after attending a Covid lockdown-busting house party with then-teammates James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Ayoze Perez.
      A year earlier he was left out of Leicester’s matchday squad after missing a training session following a night out with fellow academy graduate Ben Chilwell.
      And in 2019 he was fined £5,000 by the FA and forced to attend a training course after historical offensive posts on social media were uncovered.
      A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman told The Sun: “Officers pulled over a vehicle in Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, around 1.45am on Friday 19 January 2024.
      “A man was arrested on suspicion of refusing to provide a specimen of breath.
      “Hamza Choudhury, aged 26, of Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire, has since been charged with driving while over the alcohol limit, driving without due care and attention, and failing to co-operate with a preliminary test.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “He was released on unconditional bail and is next due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 23 February 2024.”
      Leicester City and Choudhury’s agent declined to comment. More

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      I was called every name under the sun in prison, but nobody would say it to my face, reveals Tyson Fury’s dad John

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      TYSON FURY’S dad John has revealed he faced terrible abuse in prison – but no-one dared “insult me to my face”.The father-of-six has been behind bars three times, including for gouging a man’s eye out, but claims he is “everything a man should be”.
      John Fury has spent plenty of time around ‘hard cookies’Credit: twitter @MichaelBensonn
      Son Tyson Fury is preparing to take on Oleksandr Usyk on February 17Credit: Getty
      The former bare-knuckle fighter, 59, has a violent past but says his strong religious belief helped him overcome his darkest days.
      As a teen, Fury Senior was twice sent to borstals – detention centres that have since been replaced by other forms of youth custody.
      He escaped from the first one – a place he compares to the gruesome borstal of the 1979 movie Scum, starring Ray Winstone.
      And after he was finally captured he spent three more years inside at a similar centre.
      READ MORE IN BOXING
      Then in 2011 Fury Senior was jailed for 11 years for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
      It followed a fight at a car auction in Belle Vue, where he gouged out the eye of a man who had been his friend – until they fell out over a bottle of beer and had a long-running feud.
      He was released four years into his sentence due to good behaviour, having initially been in notorious Category A prison Strangeways before moving to an open jail.
      Now the dad of heavyweight legend Tyson has discussed some of his worst times inside.
      Most read in Boxing
      He told the Daily Star, via Free Bets: “When I was in prison, at 10 o’clock at night, I used to get called every name under the sun through the windows.
      “What they were calling me and my family was unprecedented.
      “But did I know who was saying it? No. There’s 1,500 men in a prison where the noise comes from. You can only guess, but would they say it to my face? No. 
      “I’ve been round some hard cookies in my life. We thought it was tough. Nobody’s ever insulted me to my face.
      John Fury says he is ‘respectful’ and only shows a different side to his personality if his family are threatened or he is insultedCredit: Alamy
      “They can say what they want behind my back because there’s miles and miles in front of people. When you’re stood there looking like you’re gonna do somebody some damage, let’s see where the balls are.
      “I know what mine are. You’ll have to kill me to stop me, because I’ll definitely end it there. I don’t want the police knocking on my door anyway. They have knocked on my door too many times.”
      But Fury Senior insists his unpleasant side only comes out if he believes he has been insulted or his family need protecting.
      He said: “The people in the know who know me, they know I’m not to be messed about with.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “I’m respectful. I’m everything a man should be. But I’m not a fool.
      “Fools don’t rear families and direct their kids to stardom and fame and wealth or keep them there.” More

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      QPR star Ilias Chair faces calls for two years in jail after ‘smashing lorry driver’s skull with a rock’

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      PROSECUTORS have called for QPR star Ilias Chair to be jailed for two years after he was accused of smashing a lorry driver’s skull with a rock.A court heard a trucker suffered life-threatening injuries in a brawl.
      Ilias Chair denies the allegations following an alleged flare-up
      The allegations relate to an incident in Bazeilles, northern France, as the driver Niels T waited with his family for a coach back to Belgium after a kayaking trip in the summer of 2020.
      Morocco midfielder Chair, 26, denies the assault charge – with his lawyers claiming Niels T was out to make money from the footballer.
      Prosecutors in the Antwerp-born player’s home town say he and two friends got into an argument with the trucker.
      Antwerp’s public prosecutor said: “According to many people involved, Ilias Chair lashed out at Niels T with a stone and knocked him unconscious.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      “The consequences were dramatic for Niels T. He suffered a severe skull fracture, two centimetres long, and was taken to hospital at Reims in critical condition.
      “Afterwards he had to recover for a long time in a Belgian hospital, and could not do his job as a lorry driver for a long time.
      “The blow was almost fatal for him, and he still feels the after-effects.”
      The prosecutor asked for Chair to be jailed for two years and fined £1,400, as well as calling for lesser sentences for his friends Nora H. and Jaber C.
      Most read in Football
      Chair’s lawyer Alen Cilic told the hearing there was insufficient proof the ex-Stevenage loanee had caused the trucker’s injuries.
      He said Niels T and his family started the brawl and were trying to make money from the 12-cap ace.
      The lawyer for Nials T responded: “That is nonsense. We want damages of 16,000 euros, which is only about a week’s pay for Mr Chair.
      “My client almost lost his life, and it took surgeons to save him.
      “He was unable to work for a long time, and still suffers adverse reactions every day to having been hit with a rock.”
      The case continues.
      Chair is one of QPR’s key men in their fight to avoid relegation from the Championship.
      He’s made over 220 appearances for the Londoners, scoring 30 goals, since arriving from Belgians Lierse in 2017. More

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      Ex-Celtic & Rangers starlet Ciaran Dickson downed pints of high-strength VENOM before mowing down teen at 70mph

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      A FORMER Celtic and Rangers starlet downed pints of high-strength VENOM on a boozy pub crawl before mowing down a teenager in a horror hit-and-run.Ciaran Dickson, 22, fatally hit Aidan Pilkington, 18, in the Anniesland area of Glasgow before fleeing the scene on foot on September 11, 2021.
      Ciaran Dickson pled guilty to causing death by dangerous drivingCredit: Spindrift
      The footie starlet killed teenager Aidan PilkingtonCredit: PA
      Map of Dickson’s locations before fatal crash
      Dickson pled guilty today at the High Court in Glasgow to causing death by dangerous driving after Aidan suffered significant head injuries which he succumbed to later in hospital.
      The ex-Celtic B team player raced down the road at a speed between 64 and 71mph while three times over the limit when he struck Aidan.
      In court it emerged the footie youngster consumed several drinks – including the potent cocktail called Venom – before getting behind the wheel and killing his teenage victim.
      The former Rangers youth player was on a boozy night out with a friend and drank a pint of lager and a bottle of Corona at the Duck Bay Marina in Loch Lomond.

      He then got behind the wheel and drove to a pool club in Glasgow city centre.
      CCTV showed that Dickson then consumed a further two pints of lager before driving to The Black Horse bar.
      While he was there, he downed three pints of the strong cocktail venom – which was topped up with an extra measure of vodka.
      The Venom cocktail is popular with young party-goers and pub revellers due to its high alcohol content. It is made by mixing vodka, Southern Comfort and orange juice, before adding in a blue WKD to create a bright green colour.
      Most read in Football
      Aidan was on a night out with school friends at the time and left the bar at around 11.30pm.
      He was heading to a friend’s house when Dickson hit him on Crow Raod at around midnight.
      Dickson, now of Erskine, Renfrewshire, then dragged Aidan along the ground, causing significant head injuries.
      Dickson, who was employed by Celtic’s B team at the time of the offence, then fled the scene at around 50 to 70 miles per hour.
      He then abandoned his rented Mercedes car and ran 178 metres back to his home – which was discovered by police who seized his fitness watch.
      Aidan’s friend Ben Smith recalled seeing a vehicle a “distance away” and believed there was enough time to cross the road. Aidan followed behind him.
      Prosecutor John Keenan KC said: “Mr Smith was walking within the two lanes when he realised the car was getting closer, faster than he expected.
      “He could not estimate the speed of the vehicle, but it caused him to ‘quicken up’.
      “He was halfway into the lane when he turned around to see if Aidan was following.
      “He observed that Aidan was halfway into the nearside lane of the road.”
      Mr Smith stated that a white car struck Aidan, who was about to start university, when he was positioned between the two lanes.
      He added that he did not remember Aidan being run over by the car but to “have travelled for around 10 to 15 metres with the car.”
      Other witnesses described hearing a loud bang and a thud as well as seeing Aidan on the ground.
      He was noted to be unconscious with blood coming from his mouth and ears.
      Aidan was also found to have an exposed fractured skull, very shallow breathing and CPR was carried out at the scene by medics.
      Aidan was taken to hospital where he remained unresponsive and was tragically pronounced dead at 1.55am.
      Police noticed the damage that was done to the Mercedes – including a missing badge.
      Dickson handed himself into police the next day and he was released pending and investigation.
      He gave a no comment interview to officers in February 2022 and on June he was finally arrested.
      A post-mortem examination was carried out which revealed major external injuries to Aidan’s head and trunk.
      Aidan suffered bruising and wounds to his forehead, scalp, eye and cheek.
      There was also a full-thickness wound to the back of his head surrounded by bruising.
      Mr Keenan added: “Pathologists considered that the injuries to the front and back of the head were consistent with a run over or dragging type scenario.”
      Further injuries included to the abdomen and pelvis as well as a number of rib fractures.
      An internal examination revealed a large skull fracture which was associated with a small amount of bleeding on the surface of the brain.
      Pathologists considered that a brain injury might be responsible for the “very rapid death.”
      Mr Keenan said: “The major cause of death is considered to be severe head injury which is consistent with being sustained as a result of road traffic collision.”
      It was also suggested that Aidan was not standing at the time of the collision. It is not known if he slipped or fell.
      Thomas Ross KC, defending, said: “Nothing said by Ciaran Dickson can offer comfort to Aidan’s family and friends.
      “He recognises that he is fully deserving of a sentence of imprisonment.”
      Dickson’s previous convictions include careless driving from December 2020 when he was hit with three penalty points.
      He was also convicted of a domestic pattern in April 2023 when he was ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Dickson – who was tipped for first-team football – was released by Celtic having scored two goals in his first two appearances for the B team.
      Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month by Judge Lord Colbeck who remanded Dickson in custody meantime.
      He played for Celtic’s B team at the time of the offenceCredit: SNS
      He played for Rangers before joining CelticCredit: The Sun More

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      Female footballer dies in horror bike smash after she crashed her motorcycle into a lorry

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      A FOOTBALLER has died in horror bike smash after she crashed her motorcycle into a lorry.Goalkeeper Jessica Ramos was killed instantly in the horrifying accident on Monday.
      A female footballer died instantly in a horror crashCredit: Jam Press
      A video grab of the location where Jessica Ramos died after crashing her motorcycle into a lorryCredit: Jam Press Vid
      Jessica played as a goalkeeper and organised amateur women’s football tournamentsCredit: Jam Press
      The police are probing the cause of the crash.
      Jessica was from Palmira, Colombia, but had recently moved to Cali, where the accident happened.
      She played as a goalkeeper for Angels FC Candelaria and Club Deportivo Femenino Palmira.
      Jessica reportedly dreamt of making it as a top athlete and playing for the Colombia women’s team.
      read more on football
      The footballer was known for her philanthropic actions as she organised amateur women’s football tournaments in her home city and held raffles to raise money for the poor.
      Her former coach, Germenson Arias, told local media: “She was a person with good projects. She was full of initiative, had a bright future, and had good dreams.”
      Angels FC Candelaria said in a tribute: “Jessica Ramos, that noble and incredible woman who brightened our moments with her laughter.
      “No matter who the opponent was, you were never afraid and always roused the team! Rest in peace.”
      Most read in Football
      The shocking footage taken in the aftermath of the crash shows the lorry and the toppled motorbike as well as a car with a crumpled boot.
      However, it is not clear how the third vehicle ended up damaged following the crash on Monday.
      The case is in the hands of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. More

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      Six Premier League clubs facing huge bills hike as police chief calls on teams to help cover costs

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      LONDON’S six Prem clubs could face extra bills next season – from the Metropolitan Police.Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says it is time clubs stumped up to help cover the £18.5m annual cost.
      Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says London clubs must help with police costs around the stadiumCredit: PA
      Some category C games (with increased risk) in London will have around 150 police on dutyCredit: Getty
      This means Arsenal, Fulham, Tottenham, Chelsea, Brentford and West Ham could all be asked to cough up millions to help fund policing duties for fixtures.
      Sir Mark, talking to LBC, said: “Last year, 2023, policing football in London cost us £18.5 million, that the Premier League don’t pay for.
      “If you wanted to help the police out with people paying for the policing they draw out of communities, that’d be a more powerful example.
      “Arsenal, Chelsea and the others do not pay for our officers on the street.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      “There’s a very narrow legal framework, which says that they only pay for the officers who go into the ground.
      “All of those officers managing stuff around the ground come out of our budget.
      “There are very few officers in the grounds.
      “But all the ones outside on horses, all dealing with disorder before and afterwards, around train stations, etc, that adds up to £18.5million last year, not paid for.”
      Most read in Football
      A heavy police presence was needed at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea hosted Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last yearCredit: Reuters
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      In October, SunSport reported that Premier League chiefs were planning to pay £10m to the police in a bid to televise high-profile matches in prime-time slots.
      Sources said that many options are under review “to support police in keeping match-goers and communities safe”.
      There is growing reluctance from the authorities to police games between rivals in the late afternoon and evenings.
      The chances of trouble between fans is likely to be higher for a later kick-off.
      In November, Liverpool’s visit to Manchester City was moved to a 12.30pm kick off amid concerns from a safety advisory group.
      Likewise, the North London derby was scheduled for a 2pm Sunday kick off back in September. More