Football brawl spills into street

Published on 22nd March 2007 in News

picture of pain: Manuel Pasqual.

A Portuguese party-goer accused of a vicious street attack following a football match was found not guilty following a two-day trial last week.

The England v Portugal clash finished with shouting and the sound of breaking glass on July 1 last year as England exited the quarter-finals of the World Cup, Hull Crown Court was told.

Portugal might have won the fixture 3-1 on penalties, but a drinks and barbecue party in Third Avenue between a group of Portuguese nationals left the householder requiring facial reconstruction.

Factory worker Manuel Pasqual (pictured) was left in a pool of blood, with his head in the lap of a neighbour after he was struck; others were injured, a jury was told.

Mr Pasqual awoke in an ambulance needing surgical plates fitted to his fractured jaw and cheeks at Hull Royal Infirmary. He also suffered the loss of two teeth.

Cesar Nogueira (32), of Marshfield Avenue in Goole, went on trial accused of wounding Mr Pasqual on his doorstep, but was cleared by a jury last Wednesday after a two-day trial. He was separately jailed for 30 days for failing to attend his original trial date on Valentine's Day.

Prosecuting, Simon Waley told the jury the small household gathering of Portuguese fans in Third Avenue turned sour after the game had ended. He said despite the win for Portugal trouble followed around an hour after final whistle.

He said there was a possible argument over some item of property missing in the house. Mr Pasqual asked Mr Nogueira and his girlfriend to leave.

He said at one point a three-foot wrought-iron front gate was used as a weapon and Mr Pasqual was punched in the face. He said when the householder fell to the ground he was kicked in the head and body.

Mr Nogueira, who had been at the party with his girlfriend, said he had never intended to hurt Mr Pasqual and had simply acted in defence of the girl, who was under attack at the scene. Mr Nogueira said he had received punches to the face and denied using the gate; he could not account for the injuries to Mr Pasqual.

Defence barrister Bernard Gateshill said Mr Nogueira said it was Mr Pasqual who had started the fight and stated that a neighbour was quite wrong to suggest to police that it was Mr Nogueira who had started it.

Mr Gateshill said Mr Nogueira insisted Mr Pasqual had come at him and said he was trying to defend his girlfriend and himself. Judge Roger Thorn, QC, jailed Mr Nogueira for a month for failing to surrender to custody on February 14. The effect was to allow him to walk free from court, since he had already spent time in prison on remand.