OMOZUSI: PRO FOOTBALLER ACCUSED OF GANG LINK IS A ‘TOP LAD’
A footballer accused of trying to chase after a witness in a murder trial has never even gone in for a ‘a tough tackle,’ a court heard today (Weds).
Leyton Orient defender Elliot Omozusi, 22, allegedly pursued the ‘hero’ witness down the street with former England youth player Bradley Woods-Garness, 25.
The footballers are among six alleged members of the London Fields Boys gang on trial for the offence.
All six have denied a single charge of attempted revenge at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
Jurors heard the 18-year-old witness gave evidence against two gang members, Leon Dunkley and Mohammed Smoured, both 22, during their murder trial last April.
His family were then moved from their east London home under a witness protection programme and given new identities.
But a chance encounter with the six alleged gang members on a night out in Liverpool on May 15 left him in fear for his life, the court heard.
Omozusi’s co-defendant Andre Osbourne, 20, said the footballer, who has also played for Premiership teams Norwich and Fulham, would never do anything violent.
Giving evidence, he said: ‘I’ve never even seen him do a tough tackle, to be honest.
‘We just talk about sport really. He’s a top lad, I like him a lot.’
Osbourne said he had not been chasing after the witness in the street and neither had his friends.
He said he had never seen the teenager before, had never met Smoured or Dunkley and was only vaguely aware of their murder trial from news reports.
He said: ‘I’ve never heard anything about the case apart from what I’ve read in the papers.
‘I don’t take no interest in things like death and murders, so it’s nothing that would come across in my conversation.’
The group had been queuing to get into the Zoo nightclub before the alleged incident in the early hours of the morning.
Four of the defendants approached the witness who had also been outside the club.
The witness tried to move away but they followed him until he panicked and broke into a run, it is claimed.
All six then chased the witness down the street until he ran into the arms of a uniformed police officer, screaming ‘they’re going to kill me.’
But Osbourne insisted: ‘I didn’t chase anyone.’
Woods-Garness, of (34) Upper Hands Walk, Islington, north London, and Omozusi, of (41) Southwell Close, Chafford Hundred, Grays, Essex, all deny one count of attempted revenge.
Also denying the charge is 23-year-old Nash Walsh-Drew, of (20) Burrage Road, in Woolwich, south-east London, 21-year-old Jamal Francis of (35b) Navarino Road, 22-year-old Shane Drew, of (Flat 20) Welshpool House, in Welshpool Street, both in Hackney, east London, and Andre Osbourne, of (43) Baddow Close, Woodford Green, Essex.
The trial continues.
ends
