John Terry trial thread - Banned for 4 games and 220k fine

[Buffalo]

I don't understand how he's being sarcastic. Needs some lessons in it.

[Monkey Man]

Chelsea captain John Terry has said he was "very angry and upset" at being accused of racism by fellow footballer Anton Ferdinand.

Mr Terry is at Westminster Magistrates' Court over allegations he racially abused QPR's Anton Ferdinand.

On Tuesday he gave evidence after the prosecution concluded its case.

Mr Terry said that, as the pair traded insults, he thought he heard Mr Ferdinand say he had been sworn at in racial terms.

The former England captain's defence is that he was merely repeating this.

Mr Terry said of the subsequent racism accusation: "I was very angry and I was upset."

Earlier, the magistrate presiding over the trial rejected a call for the case to be thrown out.

After the conclusion of the prosecution argument, Mr Terry's legal team asked for the case to be dismissed.

But chief magistrate Howard Riddle decided there was a case to answer and the hearing will continue.

The case relates to a comment allegedly made to Queens Park Rangers defender Mr Ferdinand when the teams played last October.

George Carter-Stephenson QC had argued Mr Ferdinand was an unreliable witness and lip reading experts, who had viewed television footage, agreed it was impossible to clarify what was said.

He said the case was "so weak and tenuous it does not warrant it going any further".

In reply, prosecutor Duncan Penny said it was "unlikely" that someone's first reaction to an accusation of racist abuse would be to repeat the same words, which is Mr Terry's defence.

'Very unlikely'

Mr Penny said: "Mr Terry's defence is 'my immediate reaction was to use exactly the same words, not surprise, nothing of that nature, just to repeat the words back.

"You could form the view that is very unlikely."

The 31-year-old former England captain denies a racially-aggravated public order offence.

Earlier, the court was played an interview between FA investigator Jennifer Kennedy and Mr Terry carried out a week after the game.

In it, Mr Terry said: "I have been called a lot of things in my football career on and off the pitch, but being called a racist I am not prepared to take.

"That's why I came out and made my statement immediately.

"I am not having Anton thinking that about me or anyone else. That's not my character at all."

Continue reading the main story “Start QuoteIt's handbags, innit - it's what happens on the pitch”
End Quote Anton Ferdinand Disputed remarks (Warning: contains repeated use of very strong language)
Mr Terry told the investigator that Mr Ferdinand was shouting abuse at him over allegedly having an affair with Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge's girlfriend.

He said of the racism accusation: "I was hurt by it, taken aback and really surprised.

"I have never been accused of that before, inside or outside football."

Mr Terry claimed that when players sign for Chelsea he takes care of them and welcomes them into his home regardless of their colour.

The footballer revealed he is frequently abused by fans and other players over his alleged relationship with Vanessa Perroncel.

"As a footballer you have to take it on the chin a bit," he added.

The court was also told Mr Terry had worked with former Chelsea players Marcel Desailly and Didier Drogba's African charities.

And it emerged the only person who initially complained to police about Mr Terry was an off-duty police officer.

If found guilty, the maximum sentence Mr Terry could receive is a £2,500 fine.

It is alleged the Chelsea defender insulted Mr Ferdinand by calling him black with the use of extreme sexual swear words.

On Monday, Mr Ferdinand told a court he would have been "very hurt" if he had heard Mr Terry racially abuse him.

Lip reader and sign language interpreter Susan Whitewood concurred the bad language had been employed.

YouTube clip

Mr Ferdinand told the court he initially did not think any racist terms had been used.

But after the match, his girlfriend at the time played him a YouTube clip and he changed his mind.

Police questioned Mr Terry under caution in November and a file on the matter was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service at the beginning of December.

The decision to investigate Mr Terry was taken when police received a complaint from a member of the public after the Premier League match at Loftus Road.

As a summary offence under the Crime and Disorder Act, it is being heard in a magistrates' court.

Mr Ferdinand has played for West Ham, Sunderland and QPR and is the brother of Rio Ferdinand, Mr Terry's England team-mate and defensive partner for the national side.

The trial continues.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18781322

[Wedgie]

If you're not a racist, then don't say racist comments at all.

Wish the courts would see it that in black and white.

EDIT: No that is not a pun. Self-

[jamcc]

Terry trial resumes at 1pm. There is a man in a #CFC shirt outside Westminster Magistrates holding an (almost) lifesize pic of John Terry

jamcc

[TigaSefi]

I am a lip reader and i can see with 99% certainty that he said "anton you f****** b**** c***" as ashley cole walked passed. No way is this "weak"

[SandyCoin]

I am not a lip reader but I can see with 99% certainty that he said "anton you f****** b**** c***".

[TigaSefi]

I am gonna have words with that defence's official lip reader by directing her to specsavers the blind bitch!!

[Wedgie]

The defence just seeked out an professional that agrees with their defence. They would hardly farm out a professional saying "Oh yes, he did say You B**** banana split" and have their defence explode in mere seconds.

Deaf people need to parade into the court room and each say that he did say a racist comment and label the professional as a FRAUD or just a shite lip reader.

[Monkey Man]

Artist impression of Terry in the dock:-

[Cuttooth]

melly's next avatar.

[kommissarboris]

why?

He is a horrible scummy banana split

wait what?

so that would be half the English team too then...

[Fatal Exception]

Artist impression of Terry in the dock:-

Looks like a hairy Karl Pilkington

[captain red dog]

Hearing the various snippets from the court, I can only see him getting away with it at this stage. It is going to be another of those occasions where we all know he did it but a very clever defence and a shite prosecution case will save his neck.

[TigaSefi]

The Daily Star front page

[kommissarboris]

Artist impression of Terry in the dock:-

Looks like a hairy Karl Pilkington

being tried by mick foley.

[Spindash]

Terry trial resumes at 1pm. There is a man in a #CFC shirt outside Westminster Magistrates holding an (almost) lifesize pic of John Terry

jamcc

Extraordinary: man outside John Terry trial at Westminster Magistrates Court http://pic.twitter.com/HBu08aXb

[Wedgie]

Would be funny if John Terry shouted "strawberry float off lunatic" at him.

PS How is that "almost lifesize?"

John Terry must be smaller than Tom Cruise!

[Dowbocop]

It looks...used

[Spindash]

Magistrate tells Ashley Cole most people would rather he stands up. Cole: "I'd rather sit down."

[Spindash]

Crown to Ashley Cole: 'You used to play for Arsenal, the crowd doesn't make any noise at the Emirates do they?' [LAUGHTER in court]