Liam Gallagher’s son Gene, 18, Ringo Starr’s grandson Sonny Starkey and model friend, both 19, apply to have assault and affray charges thrown out after staff member was ‘racially abused’ during ‘fight’ at Tesco Express
- Gene Gallagher, Sonny Starkey appeared in Crown Court today with Noah Ponte
- They pleaded not guilty at magistrates last month to alleged scrap in Tesco
- Ponte allegedly racially abused shopkeeper after he could not buy beer at 12am
- All three have been charged with affray, using or threatening unlawful violence
- But 19-year-old Ponte also charged with racially aggravated common assault
Liam Gallagher’s son and two friends will attempt to have assault and affray charges against them thrown out following a late night bust-up in Tesco, a court heard today.
Gene Gallagher, 18, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr’s grandson Sonny Starkey, 19, and IMG model Noah Ponte, also 19, are accused of fighting in a Tesco Express store in Hampstead, north London.
Ponte allegedly stole a can of beer at midnight after the shop had stopped selling alcohol, an earlier hearing was told.
Starkey and Gallagher are also said to have ‘windmilled’ down the aisle at a shop worker trying to stop them from leaving.
Gene Gallagher, 18, (left) and Sonny Starkey (right) appearing at Wood Green Crown Court this morning
The earlier hearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court heard Ponte told an Indian worker: ‘You bloody Indians. Go back to where you came from. You’re not wanted here.’
Alexander Agbamu, prosecuting, told Wood Green Crown Court today: ‘The general consensus from defence counsel is that they would wish to have an application to dismiss the charges.
‘This is a very factually straightforward case where much of the incident has been captured by CCTV.
‘Nothing that hasn’t been captured on cameras can be given in evidence by witnesses.’
IMG model Noah Ponte arrives at Wood Green Crown Court today
Jason Bartfeld QC, for Gallagher, James Reilly, for Starkey, and Matthew Butt, for Ponte, have 28 days after April 14 to make an application to dismiss the charges.
Judge Andrew Holmes said: ‘I’m told that each and every one of you is going to make an application to dismiss the charges that are against you.
‘That application will be heard on November 6 for half a day so you will need to come back on November 6.
‘If the application to dismiss the charges is successful, then that will be the end of it.
‘If it is not, you’ll stand trial on January 18. You’ll be on unconditional bail.
‘You must attend the next hearing in November. If you do not, you’ll be committing a separate offence which could lead to imprisonment.’
Starkey, Ponte and Gallagher, 18, face charges but were not arraigned with affray and assault by beating.
Gene Gallagher and Noah Ponte attend the London For Real event on June 12, 2019 in London
Gallagher and Ponte also face charges of racially aggravated assault, with Ponte also facing a charge of theft.
The teenage trio, who wore suits, only spoke to confirm their names and otherwise sat quietly during the 10 minute hearing.
Starkey was supported in court by drummer and road manager father Jason, while Liam Gallagher did not attend.
Gene is the son of the former Oasis frontman and his former partner All Saints singer Nicole Appleton.
Last year Gene was expelled from the King Alfred’s School in Golder’s Green, where pupils are charged £6,459 a term.
In an interview, the teen admitted it was ‘nothing to be proud of’, while his father disagreed, saying: ‘Oh, it is! King Alfred is the most laid-back school in the world.’