Court beckons for brawling Bowyer

ENGLAND footballer Lee Bowyer is to seek a judicial review of the decision to prosecute him for his on-pitch brawl with team-mate Kieron Dyer, his solicitor said last night.

Steve Barker questioned whether it was in the “public interest” to prosecute the Newcastle United midfielder after he had already been punished twice - by his club and subsequently the FA - for the incident.

It was announced yesterday that the footballer would be summonsed to appear before magistrates in Newcastle to face an allegation under Section 4 of the Public Order Act.

Mr Barker said: “It’s our intention to have the decision to prosecute him reviewed judicially in the High Court.”

He said the reason they had decided to challenge the action was “because we have very real concerns that the decision has been made for political rather than legal reasons.”

He went on: “I am going to argue that the decision to prosecute Lee Bowyer should be reviewed judicially and looking at whether this is in the real public interest to do this.

“Not just for Lee Bowyer but this is something of much wider interest to sportsmen throughout the country, sports fans and taxpayers.”

The on-pitch brawl between the England footballers was captured by television cameras and witnessed by 52,000 fans at St James’ Park on April 2.

Newcastle fined Bowyer a record six-weeks wages, believed to be around £200,000.