England forward Ivan Toney pleads not guilty to Soho nightclub assault

• Striker accused of head-butting and punching man

• Elected for crown court trial in front of judge and jury

Ivan Toney has pleaded not guilty to assault after being accused of head-butting and punching a member of the public at a Soho nightclub. The England striker appeared at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday, entering a plea of not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The court heard that on 6 December last year, words were exchanged between the 30-year-old striker and Saber Da Silva at 100 Wardour Street, a live music venue. The prosecutor, Tom Heslop, said it was not known what was said between the two men, but the exchange resulted in them “squaring up” to one another before Toney “lunged forward and head-butted the complainant, followed by a few punches”. The altercation left Da Silva with injuries to his nose and fingers, it was alleged.

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