Bolton Wanderers football player Kyle Dempsey has appeared in court accused of assaulting a West Cumbrian social club door supervisor.
Former Carlisle United midfielder Dempsey, 27, and his 50-year-old dad Michael Shane Dempsey jointly face one charge. This alleges that they assaulted Daryl Jarvis, causing him actual bodily harm, on Saturday July 16 last year.
A second charge, faced by Dempsey senior only, alleges that he caused criminal damage to a door at Maryport Labour Club, where the incident occurred.
It came just hours after Dempsey had played for League One club Bolton against his former side Carlisle United in a summer friendly fixture earlier in the day at Brunton Park.
Not guilty pleas had been entered by a solicitor representing Kyle Dempsey and Michael Dempsey — former rugby league professional — on their behalf when they made a first court appearance in front of Workington magistrates last month.
A prosecutor alleged on that occasion that Mr Jarvis had been punched multiple times and kneed in the face, suffering injuries which included bruised ribs and a suspected broken nose.
Both Dempseys were present in the dock at Carlisle Crown Court this morning when they had been due to formally enter their respective pleas in front of a judge.
During a hearing lasting less than 20 minutes, both spoke to confirm their names and dates of birth, with Kyle Dempsey wearing a black suit, white shirt and black tie in the dock alongside his father.
But defence barrister Lisa Judge, representing the pair, asked for the plea-entering process to be postponed for several weeks.
Ms Judge said she had seen some CCTV clips in the case. However, the court heard she had not yet had time to view sections of video footage that would allow her to properly advise Kyle Dempsey and Michael Dempsey before they formally entered their pleas.
“I would ask for the arraignment not to occur,” she said in an address to Judge Nicholas Barker.
Judge Barker agreed to adjourn the case in order that CCTV footage can be provided by the prosecution to the defence and then properly considered.
Kyle Dempsey, of Magnolia Way, Blackpool, and Michael Dempsey, of Whitecroft, Maryport, are due to be back at the crown court to enter pleas on March 1. In the meantime they were granted bail by Judge Barker.
In his latest game on Saturday for promotion-chasing Bolton Wanderers, who are fifth in the League One table, Kyle Dempsey scored the only goal of a 1-0 win in front of almost 18,000 spectators at home to Cheltenham Town.
