Albion winger to return to court at end of season

[jamesy's]

Albion winger Kazenga LuaLua will return to court at the end of the season over his alleged involvement in a fight outside a nightclub.

LuaLua was tried for affray at Newcastle Crown Court last month alongside two other men who were cleared.


The jury was unable to reach a verdict in LuaLua's case and the Crown Prosecution Service has now decided to proceed with a six-day retrial.


The 22-year-old's case will be heard on June 17 next year – less than a month after the Championship play-off final.

David Batcup, defending, told Judge Simon Hickey today the wait of more than six months for the retrial suited the player.


He said: "Because of his position we don't want the retrial to take place before the end of the season,"

The charge relates to disorder outside the Riverside club on Newcastle's Quayside in June last year.


The prosecution alleges it was started by the footballer's arrogance and escalated into a large-scale fight between groups of black and white men.


LuaLua told the jury at his first trial that he had nothing to do with the violence.


Orivaldo Neto, 20, of Springwell Close, Winlaton, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to affray.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

No way am I prejudging or taking sides or crticising anyone (just in case you thought I might be!)

But it seems strange to me that a court would schedule a trial to suit a defendants work committments.

Or am I misreading something here?

I would have thought that if a retrial was necessary, bearing in mind everything was in place for the original trial, wouldn't they schedule it pretty soon? Or maybe this is pretty soon in legal terms? I would have thought it was in everyone's interest to get the retrial started as soon as possible.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

The prosecution alleges it was started by the footballer's arrogance and escalated into a large-scale fight between groups of black and white men.

Why does skin colour need to be brought into it ? Cant the article just say "a large-scale fight between groups of men" ?

This is good news for us, as it means Kaz hopefully can forget about it until June next year and concentrate on making an impact - much like he certainly did at Charlton !!!

 

[Sussex on Leith]

But it seems strange to me that a court would schedule a trial to suit a defendants work committments.

John Terry?

 

[trueblue]

No way am I prejudging or taking sides or crticising anyone (just in case you thought I might be!)

But it seems strange to me that a court would schedule a trial to suit a defendants work committments.

Or am I misreading something here?

I would have thought that if a retrial was necessary, bearing in mind everything was in place for the original trial, wouldn't they schedule it pretty soon? Or maybe this is pretty soon in legal terms? I would have thought it was in everyone's interest to get the retrial started as soon as possible.

I would have thought a retrial is quite tricky as they will need to find a jury that knows nothing about the first trial before they can proceed - which can't be easy in a football area like Newcastle. Therefore, some distance between the trials is presumably helpful. And as for bearing in mind a defendant's work commitments, well, it happened for John Terry so maybe they do....

 

[happypig]

Not sure about work commitments being relevant. We're booking trials in Eastern Sussex for July.
As for finding a jury, his honour will make it clear to them that they should base thier verdict on the facts presented and not what they may have heard elsewhere.

 

[house your seagull]

How about this!

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2012/11/21/key-witness-changes-her-mind-in-kazenga-lua-lua-trial-61634-32274197/

 

[Napper]

The prosecution alleges it was started by the footballer's arrogance and escalated into a large-scale fight between groups of black and white men.

Why does skin colour need to be brought into it ? Cant the article just say "a large-scale fight between groups of men" ?

This is good news for us, as it means Kaz hopefully can forget about it until June next year and concentrate on making an impact - much like he certainly did at Charlton !!!

those are the facts so are reported as such, Sets the scene better

I bet I know who came off worse

 

[Garage_Doors]

I bet I know who came off worse

Who and why are you confident of the outcome?

 

[El Presidente]

But it seems strange to me that a court would schedule a trial to suit a defendants work committments.

It is quite common, which is why courts in Liverpool try defendants 365 days a year.

 

[Napper]

Who and why are you confident of the outcome?

Footballer , probably not drinking to extreme , fit by nature , well built.

Thats where the smart money is

and to walk into your trap , black people are often better fighters from my experience

 

[Garage_Doors]

Footballer , probably not drinking to extreme , fit by nature , well built.

As i understood it its for inciting fighting not actual taking part that he is accused of?

 

[Vegas Seagull]

How about this!

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2012/11/21/key-witness-changes-her-mind-in-kazenga-lua-lua-trial-61634-32274197/

Good article - dreadful decision to retrial, no jury could ever convict given account in article