Report by UK MIRROR
has it that England captain Steven Gerrard has been plunged into his
worst nightmare – a hugely worrying court battle in his run-up to the
World Cup finals.The looming legal action centres on claims about a brawl in the street near the Liverpool idol’s home.
Gerrard, his model wife Alex and the player’s close pal Lee McPartland are named in legal papers lodged at London’s High Court.
A man named Paul Alan Lloyd is thought to be seeking damages from them in connection with the incident in August.
A source said last night: “This is the last thing Steven would have wanted in one of the biggest years of his career. His No 1 focus is leading England to glory at the World Cup in Brazil.”
The game’s biggest tournament kicks off next June and this case will be an unwelcome distraction for England boss Roy Hodgson, his players and backroom staff. Lloyd, who is believed to have hired top legal firm Mishcon de Reya, has four months to serve papers on Gerrard, 33, his 31-year-old wife and McPartland, 43.
The street clash, which left the Liverpool captain badly shaken, was revealed exclusively by the Sunday Mirror earlier this month.
The source said: “Steven and Alex are both huge icons in Liverpool – but there have always been people jealous of their success. The pair of them have had no option but to call in lawyers over this matter. It’s a case of conflicting explanations as to what happened that night.
“Mr Lloyd believes he has a good case. Steven and the other two might see things one way. But it is certainly not how Mr Lloyd is explaining away events.”
The incident came after millionaire Gerrard had just got out of his Range Rover outside a convenience store in the upmarket village near Liverpool where he lives with Alex and their daughters, aged nine, seven and two.
It has now emerged that WAG Alex and McPartland were in or near the area at the time. The clash sparked security fears for the player and his family.
Police took a statement from Gerrard and are thought to have spoken to him since.
Alex and McPartland, who runs a corporate hospitality company whose clients include Liverpool FC, also face being questioned.
Papers lodged at the Queen’s Bench Division in the Royal Courts of Justice in London on December 6 list Gerrard, Alex and McPartland as defendants in the civil case launched by Lloyd.
In a bizarre twist, a woman police officer has been charged over allegations that she tried to obtain CCTV footage of the street incident from a shop.
PC Helen Jones will face magistrates on January 6, accused of committing misconduct in public office.
Blonde Alex was pictured out shopping in Liverpool yesterday.
She picked up items from a Tesco after visiting the hairdresser’s.
Her husband is expected to be at Stamford Bridge in London today to watch Liverpool’s top-of-the-table clash with Chelsea.
McPartland’s firm Opus Events, based in Formby, Merseyside, works closely with Gerrard’s charity foundation to raise cash for needy kids. The businessman and footballer are pictured together on the firm’s website where they highlight their fundraising partnership. The page says: “Opus Events are delighted to be working closely with the Steven Gerrard Foundation.”
The Gerrards have been targeted in a series of incidents over recent years.
In September Gerrard had to be held back after a crazed fan scaled a perimeter wall at Liverpool’s training ground and yelled vile threats against the star’s family.
The man sped away on a bike shouting, “I’ll kill you and your f****** kids.”
Police were called to Gerrard’s heavily-protected home in December 2007 after masked raiders burst in and confronted Alex as the couple’s children slept. Alex was unharmed but it made Gerrard the sixth Liverpool player in succession to be targeted by robbers while the team played abroad.
A source close to the couple later said: “Alex is heartbroken by what’s happened. But she’s trying to be strong for Steven and the kids.”
Gerrard is noted for his professionalism and hard work on the pitch.
But there have been claims that his fame has led to gangsters in Liverpool trying to exert pressure on him.
In 2001, both Steven and Alex – who grew up in the city’s tough Huyton area – faced death threats from members of Liverpool’s underworld.
Police were drafted in to protect Gerrard after a local criminal Mr Big chased him through the streets of Liverpool in his car.
Steel gates 10ft high and state-of-the-art security cameras were installed at the star’s £3million mansion.
In 2009 Gerrard was cleared of affray after a row over controlling the music playing in a bar.
It was alleged at Liverpool Crown Court that the footballer punched Marcus McGee, 34, in the face in the incident in Southport in December 2008.
Gerrard admitted hitting McGee three times but he denied affray, saying he had been acting in self-defence because he thought the other man was about to strike him.
Three years ago Alex hit back at claims that her marriage to the Kop hero was in trouble.
She said: “There have been loads of rumours going around Liverpool saying that me and Steven have split up, that he’s moved to a hotel and ridiculous things like that. I’d like to set the record straight. We have never been happier.”
Alex added: “I wouldn’t mind but we don’t even argue.”
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