Man City star Phil Foden's mum nicked for flicking off man's cap in club – before telling court 'it's my party trick'
Posted Wednesday, January 24, 2024 by Thesun.co.uk
FOOTIE star Phil Foden's mum was nicked for assault and told police: "I'm like an animal when I've been drinking."
Claire Rowlands, 44, also admitted "I was a bit of a bitch" after she raged at officers during a vodka and tequila-fuelled girls' weekend.
She kicked off after bouncers ejected her for a fracas sparked by her "party trick" of flicking off a man's cap, a court heard.
Rowlands had been invited to a pal's caravan for a "respite break" — telling magistrates that her youngest son was severely disabled and needed 24-hour care.
She necked shots and partied at a sports bar before clashing with the male clubber in Towyn, North Wales, last September.
After her ejection, she told cops to "f*** off", was cuffed and spent the night in the cells.
She admitted in an interview: "I kicked off with the police officers. I was a bit of a bitch."
The stay-at-home mum added she did not drink often but was "like an animal" when she did.
At Llandudno magistrates' court, she was cleared of assault by beating, but fined for being drunk and disorderly.
Rowlands, wed to Phil Foden Snr, 45, told JPs that looking after her disabled son was "hard work most of the time".
As a result, two pals had treated her to a weekend in a caravan owned by the aunt of a friend.
Hours before her September 9 booze-up, England midfielder Phil, 23, came on as a sub for a Euro 2024 qualifier 1-1 draw in Ukraine.
Rowlands told the court: "The plan was just to go out, have a laugh, let our hair down and enjoy ourselves. We went to the caravan, had a few cans, washed our hair and got all dressed up."
She said they went to a bar on the caravan site and "had some fun, doing some karaoke and getting all the old people dancing to Motown".
Rowlands said she was drinking vodka and tequila shots and the group moved to Sunny's in Towyn.
She told the court: "It was a bit of a sports bar. There were loads of local families. It was quite full.
"It was a good atmosphere, everyone was chatting and getting on. "We were getting on the karaoke, giving everyone the confidence to sing and just having fun."
When the bar closed, the party went upstairs to Bentley's nightclub, which opened at 10pm.
Rowlands said: "My friends were speaking to a couple of lads. "There was no animosity, I was drunk and enjoying myself."
The court heard that Rowlands was then asked to leave by doormen who accused her of assaulting someone.
Magistrates watched a 30-second CCTV clip from the club which showed Rowlands knocking a baseball cap off Paul Shortman's head before picking it up off the floor and swinging her arm in a bid to put it back on him.
Her solicitor Simon Martin said the footage showed her chatting to Mr Shortman at the bar and showed her knocking his cap off by hitting the peak.
Mr Martin asked her: "What was going through your mind?"
She replied: "I was just drunk. I was having a bit of fun. I had done it to a lad earlier. It was just a bit of fun, really."
Mr Martin asked: "Did you have any intent to harm him?"
She replied: "No." Mr Martin said the CCTV showed her walk across the dancefloor and pick up the cap.
She said: "I was just wanting to put his cap back on."
Mr Martin said Mr Shortman ducked and the cap went on the floor again without physical contact.
Rowlands said: "I was drunk. It was just a bit of fun, a bit of banter. I just could not believe it, that I could get into trouble for knocking someone's cap off. It's my party trick, knocking someone's cap off and putting it back on."
Cross-examined by prosecutor Rachel Drew she agreed that she had told police in interview that she was "like an animal" when she had been drinking.
Rowlands told police: "I do not drink often but when I do, I make up for time. I am like an animal."
She agreed that she had thought Mr Shortman was one of a group of lads they had been chatting to at the downstairs bar.
She said: "We were having drinks with different people. We were just chilling. We had been having some fun downstairs, singing Sweet Caroline and jumping around and I knocked this lad's cap off."
Rowlands disagreed that her actions had been reckless.
She added: "I did not mean him any harm or to hurt him and you can see that on the video. It was just a bit of banter which has been taken the wrong way."
In his closing speech Mr Martin said: "The video speaks for itself. Yes, she knocks his cap off and it goes to the floor. It is not a criminal offence. This is not a case of someone being punched or kicked. You can see it for what it is, a storm in a tea cup."
The court heard Mr Shortman had not attended to give evidence.
Chairman of the magistrates Duncan Campbell said the prosecution had not proved assault.
He added: "It is clear at the time that you were drunk, fooling around having fun. It is for the prosecution to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and that you intended to use force.
"It is telling that Mr Shortman has not attended and that your actions were not consensual. Therefore we find you not guilty."
Rowlands, of Prestbury, Cheshire, was dealt with separately for being drunk and disorderly outside the club.
She had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing. For that she was fined £100, with £85 costs and a £40 surcharge.
PC Stephen Gunning told the court that Rowlands had been "stumbling with her speech slurred and her eyes glazed".
She was abusive to officers and a body-worn camera showed her shouting at them to "f*** off" before she was cuffed and arrested.
Mr Martin said Rowlands had reacted badly to having been thrown out of the nightclub for an assault which she felt she had not committed.
He said that she "readily accepts that she lost it and is remorseful".
Mr Martin said she was a stay-at-home mum with no income and was not in receipt of any benefits.
Rowlands was given 90 days to pay the £225 in fines and costs.
She left court with her coat over her head, along with Phil Snr.
The couple are directors of PWF Management Ltd, named after their son's initials, Philip Walter Foden.
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