Jack Wilshere frightened me, girl hurt in nightclub bust-up tells court
A GIRL whose arm was broken in a vicious nightclub brawl after she snubbed footballer Jack Wilshere claimed yesterday she was left in fear of the England star.
Kim Plested wept in court as she described how her boyfriend Dan Farnon was “kicked continuously” by two of the Arsenal midfielder’s pals as he lay helpless on the ground.
Referring to 19-year-old Wilshere as “short and cocky”, she added: “I just remember him as the angry one. I was frightened of him.”
PA Kim had been out celebrating her 21st birthday at the Amika club in Kensington, West London, when trouble flared last August.
She says a row broke out after Wilshere kept telling her, in front of her boyfriend: “Let me buy you drinks, I’ve got more money than them – leave your friends.”
And she claims fists started flying when he later made a crude sexual remark to her about “sloppy seconds”.
Recalling Wilshere’s initial approach, Kim said: “He was short, shorter than the rest of his group, and cocky. I didn’t know who he was. I wasn’t interested. I said, ‘Just leave me alone’, I just kept saying, ‘Go away’. He did in the end but I could tell by his face he didn’t like to be ignored. He obviously wanted my full attention and wasn’t happy about being rejected.”
But after starting the trouble with his “unimpressive behaviour”, Wilshere backed down as his friends and Kim’s slugged it out, the jury at Isleworth crown court was told.
Prosecutor Warwick Tatford said of the £50,000 a week player: “He seems to be the one doing the chatting up and bragging about having more money. But although he starts it all off, he doesn’t get involved in the violence itself.”
\Wilshere, who is expecting his first child with girlfriend Lauren Neal, 22, in August, was caught on CCTV grabbing one of Kim’s friends by the lapels. He then backed off while his mates get in a fist-fight with two of Kim’s pals.
Her boyfriend Dan, 22, was left with a gashed eye and Kim suffered a broken elbow as she put her arms around him trying to protect him. “They just carried on kicking,” she sobbed.
The court was told she needed metal pins inserted in her arm and was still receiving treatment. Mr Tatford said: “She was innocent, but she got the nastiest injury of all.”
The court heard the punch-up started as Kim’s group were outside waiting for the stretch limo she had hired to take them home to Surrey.
Wilshere was later given a caution for common assault, while his two friends Adam Mardell and Duane Brailsford each pleaded guilty to affray. Brailsford, who caused Mr Farnon’s injury, also admitted assault.
Now two of Kim’s friends, Bradley Martin, 23, and Elliott Fowler, 24, both of Farnham, Surrey, are standing trial for affray. Both deny the charges, claiming self defence.
The case continues.