Son of Paul Scholes punched ex-school friend in pub attack
THE teenage son of exEngland footballer Paul Scholes beat up a former school friend and took a picture of his injuries in an unprovoked ‘ happy slap-style’ attack.
Arron Scholes, 19, left Robert Kemper, 21 with bloodshot eyes and bruises on his face when he punched him up to five times at a pub after England’s victory over Tunisia in last year’s World Cup.
During the attack Mr Kemper, who was drunk, was seen lying on his back and offering no resistance while Arron struck him around the face.
The teenager, the eldest of Scholes’ three children, was then seen ‘jumping up and down and laughing hysterically’ before taking a picture of the victim’s injuries on his mobile phone.
Mr Kemper, who had known Arron from school, remembered little of the attack at the Granby Arms in Uppermill, near Oldham. In the moments before the assault, however, he recalled saying ‘all right mate’ to Arron – only to get ‘very little response’.
Arron, who plays for Manchester league club Royton Town, denied assault by beating, claiming he was acting in self-defence. But yesterday he was convicted of the offence after a trial at Tameside magistrates’ court.
The sports marketing management student looked crestfallen as his father Scholes, 44, who played for Manchester United for 19 years, and mother Claire watched from the public gallery.
He will be sentenced next week after a report is prepared Assault: Arron Scholes to see if he is suitable for community work.
The incident took place on June 18 last year after Mr Kemper had been drinking heavily while watching the World Cup match with friends.
He told the hearing: ‘Me and my friends were just discussing and talking about the football and then played some pool.
‘I was having a cigarette facing away from the door when I started receiving punches. I didn’t know where it was coming from or who was throwing them. I was just aware of walking out in a daze.
‘I didn’t know who did it at the time but I found out shortly afterwards. Both my eyes were swollen and there was congealed blood in my nose and ears.’
The court heard that after the incident Mr Kemper sent Arron a barrage of text messages saying: ‘Lol imagine that you bloodied my face. Lol I’m trying to sort things out with you. P****, go one on one. Say something.’
During his evidence Mr Kemper denied defence claims he had called Arron a ‘pussy’ earlier in the evening at a different pub.
He added: ‘There was no reason for me to do that. We had discussions about trying to repair
‘He was laughing hysterically’
our relationship. When I got home I did send him some messages which I do regret sending. But I did not start a fight.’
Landlady Debbie Hardy said: ‘I didn’t see Rob do anything at all other than trying to defend himself. Two lads restrained Arron but he was jumping up and down and laughing hysterically at Rob. He got his phone out and took a picture of Rob’s face then proceeded to punch him again.
‘He started laughing when he looked at the picture. Rob was stood with his hands down beside him. At no point was Rob being threatening.’
Arron, who attends Manchester Metropolitan University and lives with his family in a luxury property in the nearby village of Grasscroft, told the hearing: ‘Earlier in the evening he was shouting things and it became obvious he was shouting at me.
‘He got more and more aggressive as the night went on. I thought he was going to hit me so I defended myself by hitting him before he hit me.’
But judge Sam Goozee said: ‘What’s not in dispute is that you had both been drinking that evening. But Robert Kemper was more candid about it than you. You seemed evasive when challenged and the only person being aggressive was yourself.’