Scotsman faces jail for punching Fergie in groin

LONDON: A Scotsman pleaded guilty Wednesday to punching Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson while drunk and now faces a prison sentence.

Kevin Reynolds, 43, punched Ferguson in the groin before head-butting and racially abusing a police support officer.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting the boss of the English Premier League champions outside London Euston train station on Monday afternoon and attacking the support officer Peace Toluwa as he tried to detain him.

Describing Reynolds as a "fighting drunk", deputy chief magistrate Daphne Wickham said her powers of sentence - up to six months imprisonment - were insufficient and referred the case to a higher court.

Reynolds, who pleaded guilty to two counts of a racially aggravated public order offence, one of common assault and another of actual bodily harm, was remanded in custody until that hearing. He could face a two-year jail term.

Reynolds, originally from the Fife region of eastern Scotland, staggered towards the football manager as he waited for his driver and punched him, the court was told.

As Ferguson doubled up in pain, Reynolds - who had drunk half a bottle of vodka and several cans of strong lager - said: "I'm sorry Fergie. I did not know it was you."

He then began chanting a favourite football chant in Scotland: "Fergie, Fergie, shut your mouth."

When Toluwa, a civilian trained to assist regular police officers but with no formal powers of arrest, tried to detain Reynolds, he was head-butted in the face and subjected to a torrent of racist abuse, the court was told.

Reinforcements soon arrived and Reynolds was taken to a nearby police station and charged. Toluwa suffered a cut lip; Ferguson required no treatment although was said to be shocked and sore.

Reynolds' lawyer said the defendant had a severe drink problem and had accidentally struck the Old Trafford boss while shadowboxing.

AFP

(China Daily 09/14/2007 page23)