Soccer star and mother avoid prison after brawl
AYOUNG Premier League star and his mother have avoided jail after admitting their part in a “Wild West” brawl in the VIP area of a trendy bar.
Bottles were thrown, a belt was used as a weapon and punches were thrown when Newcastle United winger Rolando Aarons and members of his family and friends clashed with at least five men in the Livello bar on the city’s Quayside.
The footballer had asked the other men to stop filming his aunt dancing with one of their group just before the 90-second melee broke out, which caused £7,000 worth of damage and led to one injured man claiming £21,000 compensation.
Aarons, 22, and members of his group admitted an affray charge last month.
It happened at around 3am on October 9, 2016.
There had been friendly conversation between the two groups, and Aarons asked Wesley Erskine from the other group to stop filming, which he did, and the two men shook hands.
Shortly after, tensions bubbled up again and Aarons butted Mr Erskine, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Toby Hedworth QC, defending, said this was a “footballer’s headbutt” and may not have even made contact.
The incident was caught on CCTV, but was not shown in court.
Penny Bottomley, prosecuting, said Aarons was pulled back by a member of the other party, broke free and lunged towards another man and punched him twice in the face.
His mother, Joan Jacob, 46, initially tried to be a peacemaker, but after she was pushed out of the way she picked up a glass and threw it towards a man.
She later calmed her son down. His cousin, Garfield White, grabbed a display champagne bottle with a wooden mounting and hit a man on the head with it, then punched and kneed him.
His friend Jamar Collins, 22, of Walker Close, Bristol, also picked up a glass and threw it.
Another man, yet to be sentenced, used his belt as a weapon.
Miss Bottomley said door staff told police it was one of the worst incidents they had seen.
“One of the door staff described it as being like the Wild West,” she said.
Mr Erskine sustained three injuries which left him scarred.
Mr Hedworth, for Aarons, said his party had been behaving well that evening while the other group from London had been thrown out of their hotel the night before.
Aarons went back to the venue days later and paid £7,000 for the damage caused.
Judge Bindloss handed Aarons a 10-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, ordered him to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and to pay £800 costs.
Jacob was handed a 28-week jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, plus a two-month curfew order.