June 6, (THEWILL)- An Arsenal fan has been slapped with a three-year football banning order after committing a “gratuitous and senseless act of violence” by headbutting former Manchester United midfielder, Roy Keane.Â
The 43-year-old Scott Law was found guilty of common assault following the incident at the Emirates Stadium on September 3, 2024. The altercation occurred after Arsenal’s English Premier League victory over United when Keane, working as a television pundit, was attacked by Law while walking to carry out his post-match analysis duties.Â
Despite Law’s defence team claiming CCTV footage showed Keane elbowing the defendant, the court believed the Irishman’s account of being unexpectedly headbutted. Keane told the court he was left in shock after the assault, suffering bruising to his chest and arms.Â
“I was just walking and, before I knew it, I was hit. I felt the contact and fell back through some doors,” he stated. Law initially alleged the 52-year-old had provoked him, but the prosecution labelled his defence as “ridiculous” and inconsistent.
Delivering his verdict, District Judge Angus Hamilton ruled Law had been “untruthful about what happened” and was “sure Mr Law assaulted Mr Keane.” Alongside the three-year ban, Law was sentenced to 80 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £764 in legal costs and victim surcharges. Law’s lawyer indicated he plans to appeal the “conviction.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
