Former West Ham goalkeeper Stephen Bywater has been found not guilty of swinging a sword above the heads of two delivery men at his luxury home. The verdict was returned after deliberations of just 14 minutes by a jury after a four-day trial at Chester Crown Court, which concluded yesterday afternoon.
Bywater had pleaded not guilty to a charge of affray. He was accused of brandishing the sword during an altercation with two delivery men in June last year. The court heard the 36-year-old had accused the workmen of scratching his kitchen floor while they delivered an oven to his home in Nether Alderley, Cheshire. The goalkeeper had told the court he only had the sword in his hand to open the packaging on the oven, which was being delivered for use at his daughter’s sixth birthday party.
Bywater was given character references from Robbie Savage during the trial.
“Bywater was given character references from Robbie Savage during the trial.”
And he still got off! Amazing.
hahaha!! priceless – you beat me to it WHUFCFAN
Of course everyone opens packages with a sword..don’t they? and to demonstrate his skills with one swish of the sword he cut a lock of Robbie’s hair and presented it to the jury
Surely they realised he would have dropped the sword anyway lol.