Liam Gallagher’s son and Ringo Starr’s grandson have had assault charges dropped against them after they were accused of swiping booze from Tesco.
Liam’s son, Gene Appleton Gallagher and the Beatles drummer Ringo’s grandson Sonny Starkey had charges of assault and affray in relation to the incident dropped in return for them agreeing to be bound over.
Former IMG model Noah Ponte, 21, was acquitted following a two-day trial of an allegation of theft of a gin and tonic can in the Tesco Express in Hampstead, north London, on May 17, 2019.
Gallagher, 21, Starkey, 20, and Ponte denied all charges against them.
All three men faced affray and assault by beating charges, while Gallagher and Ponte were accused of racially aggravated assault.
Gallagher and Starkey have been made the subject of a bind over – meaning they have promised to “keep the peace and be of good behaviour” for 12 months or pay £500.
Wood Green Crown Court heard the trio had been drinking at an 18th birthday party before calling in the Tesco Express store on their way.
Mr Ponte said he picked up a can of a £1.70 gin and tonic, but knew it could not be sold because the store did not sell alcohol after 11pm.
He also said he paid £1.70 for two packets of salt and pepper nuts on the self-service till, then left them there, and attempted to leave the store with the can.
CCTV footage showed two Tesco workers attempted to stop the men from leaving, including a moment when Ponte claimed a Tesco worker grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the store.
Starkey and Gallagher were accused of having thrown “kicks and punches” down the aisle at the worker who was trying to stop them from leaving.
(Image: PA)
Duty manager Hiram Rajput claimed to have heard the phrase, “You bloody Indians. Go back to where you came from.”
This was denied by Gallagher and Ponte at an earlier hearing, with Ponte’s representative claiming they said “bloody idiots”.
Starkey was placed in a headlock by a Tesco shop worker for “several minutes”.
The Crown Prosecution Service accepted that Starkey was “lawfully defending himself”, while Gallagher was lawfully defending his friend.
An unnamed fourth pal was not charged as he acted as a “moderating influence”.
Earlier this week, the Crown said they received two previously unseen pieces of evidence that meant they were unable to proceed to trial for Gallagher and Starkey.
One witness, a member of security, described the situation as “avoidable” and stated they could see “both sides”.
The witness said: “[The defendants] were the ones who started the problem. However, I believe that the staff should have been more patient with the males.
“[The males] were clearly young, and drunk, and [the staff] could have let me deal with the situation.
“As I said my role is to deal with security issues within the store. [The Tesco staff] did not allow me to handle the situation.
“[The males] came in and the situation went from a discussion with me to a fight with all the staff.
“In my opinion, both sides could have handled this situation better. Although there is no dispute in my mind the males were the people that started the problem.”
Mr Agbamu concluded: “The Crown wishes to offer no further evidence against Mr Gallagher and Mr Starkey and to ask for a bind over, in recognition of their contribution to this incident as unpleasant and unnecessary.”
The trial continued for the theft and Ponte admitted that the way he attempted to get around licensing laws was “daft”.
(Image: PA)
Ponte, who gave evidence in person during his trial, said: “I went back to the chiller cabinet to make sure that I was paying the exact value.
“I just assumed I would be scanned or I needed to be ID’d. I never attempted to scan the drink.
“Essentially I thought I’d created a way to pay for it.
“[If I had been told to put it back] I wouldn’t be so bold to not put it back after being told.
“It was a long or confusing way to pay for it but I didn’t want to steal it.”
Ponte, who was supported by his father during the trial, breathed a sigh of relief when the jury foreman acquitted him.
Judge Joanna Greenberg told Gallagher and Starkey that their behaviour was “out of order”
The judge continued: “It’s hard enough when people running a late-night store encounter entitled young men thinking they can get what they want by misbehaving.
“The prosecution has taken the view things got out of hand because Tesco staff overreacted.
“In those circumstances, while the prosecution has offered no evidence on counts two to six, and I enter not guilty pleas, I’m going to bind you over to keep the peace and with a recognizance of £500 pounds.”
Ponte was told he must “keep the peace” for 12 months or he must pay £500, which Ponte’s lawyer said was “extremely rare for someone to be bound over an acquittal”.
Judge Joanna Greenberg told Ponte: “I am going to bind over the defendant. He invited trouble by his behaviour and his actions were the catalyst for what followed.
“But for that, this episode wouldn’t have happened. I’m going to bind him over to keep the peace.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
