Cops break up footballers’ lockdown party
Angry neighbours accuse Motherwell’s Jake Carroll of breaching rules with rowdy bash
A FOOTBALLER has been accused of breaching lockdown by hosting rowdy parties.
Police were called to Motherwell defender Jake Carroll’s home in the early hours by angry neighbours.
Guests, including Carroll’s team-mate Charles Dunne, were “encouraged” to go home.
POLICE broke up a rowdy party after Motherwell FC players were accused of breaching lockdown rules.
Officers were called to Irish defender Jake Carroll’s home in Larkhall, Lanarkshire, after neighbours complained that he was repeatedly having noisy shindigs with team-mates.
The latest party resulted in the player’s friends, including fellow defender Charles Dunne, being ordered to leave the semi-detached home at 1am on Sunday.
Police were told revellers had repeatedly turned up at Carroll’s home in recent weeks to enjoy loud dance music.
Carroll is understood to have told club bosses he stayed within lockdown rules.
He claimed he had formed an extended household with his friend Dunne and that there were only three other friends at the party, all of whom came from the same household. He said all five stayed in the garden.
But his account is disputed by neighbours, who said Saturday night’s party started in the garden but ended up in his living room.
One neighbour said: “We live in a family-friendly new estate in Larkhall and Jake’s behaviour in recent weeks can only be described as antisocial.
“He has been breaking lockdown rules by having multiple friends, some of whom include other football players, stay over and by partying for two, sometimes three, nights a week.
“Saturday night was the final straw as his friends piled in, most of them turning up in high-end cars.
“The music started and didn’t stop. We have a neighbourhood WhatsApp group and many residents commented on how the noise had woken them up or had been keeping them up – and they don’t even live in the same street.”
The neighbour said residents had been angered after one partygoer roared around the estate in a car at high speed.
They added: “This is the behaviour of a professional footballer who is meant to be a role model. Many of the residents and children on the estate know of him and it’s not behaviour that is acceptable, never mind during lockdown.”
Dunne has been a regular guest at Carroll’s home. He left his Mercedes SUV, with a distinctive personalised number plate, outside the house after police ordered the party to disperse on Sunday.
Dunne, 27, recently announced he had signed a new short-term deal at Motherwell as he comes back from a groin injury.
Carroll, 28, has also been battling back to fitness after suffering a serious Achilles injury in February.
A neighbour who sent a complaint to Motherwell via the club’s online contact page wrote: “I was wondering what Motherwell FC’s stance is on a number of your players gathering at another player’s home for all-night parties each week?
“Clearly these men are breaking lockdown rules and have absolutely no regard for other individuals, not to mention neighbours, when they are all shouting, playing music and being extremely antisocial at 2am and 3am in the morning.”
Police Scotland’s divisional chief inspector Lex Baillie confirmed that partygoers were “encouraged” to go home.
He said: “We can confirm that we attended a property at Aquitania Crescent in Larkhall at about 1am on Sunday, following a complaint of noise from the property.
“Officers spoke to the occupants and encouraged them to go home. The gathering dispersed a short time later.”
A Motherwell FC spokesman said: “We have spoken to those involved and accept their explanations.
“Nevertheless, we have reminded all of our players of their responsibilities, both with regards to the Scottish Government guidelines and also towards their neighbours.”
Jake’s behaviour can only be described as antisocial
FED-UP NEIGHBOUR ABOUT DANCE MUSIC PARTIES