An ex-Liverpool FC academy starlet and two of his former teammates punched, kicked and stamped on a man as he lay stricken in the road
Rio Merrifield and Kane Drummond pose for a picture outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A birthday night out ended in disgrace for three footballers as violent scenes erupted outside a takeaway. Professional player and Liverpool FC academy graduate Kane Drummond and two of his former teammates, Leon Arnasalam and Rio Merrifield, punched, kicked and stamped on their victim as he lay stricken in the road.
The man was left with injuries including a fractured spine as a result of the vicious assault in Liverpool city centre. But all three of his attackers walked free from court today before two posed for a celebratory picture outside.
Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Wednesday, that Shayan Lawrence visited Pizza King on Berry Street in order to purchase food on the evening of December 12 2022 before returning to his car, which was parked outside the premises. There, he found Arnasalam, Drummond and Merrifield standing beside his vehicle.
Helen Chenery, prosecuting, described how the former thereafter “made a joke about one of the defendants scratching his car”, adding: “He was winding up the victim. Mr Lawrence must have thought he was being serious and confronted the males.”
This led to the complainant pushing Merrifield to the floor before all three were captured on CCTV punching and kicking him to the ground, continuing to rain down blows and stamp on him in the middle of the road after he had fallen to the ground. Ms Chenery added: “Two of the defendants leave for a few seconds before returning to carry on the assault. At least one of the defendants lost his shoe during the course of the incident and went to retrieve it before carrying on the assault.”
Members of the public then intervened, at which stage Mr Lawrence sought assistance from staff at the nearby Red Door bar. He was said to have sustained a spinal fracture, as well as “contusions and bleeding” to the face, and left wearing a neck brace following the attack.
Images of the suspects were subsequently circulated by Merseyside Police, after which one officer recognised Arnasalam as being a Macclesfield footballer. Under interview in April 2023, he told detectives that he had been out in the city centre celebrating his birthday, with the three having “known each other from playing semi professional football.”
Leon Arnasalam(Image: Facebook)
The 26-year-old, of Maitland Close in Toxteth, detailed how matters “escalated” following his comment regarding the car, after which he accepted kicking and stamping on Mr Lawrence. Police were then able to identify Drummond and Merrifield after examining his phone, although both remained silent when belatedly questioned in February 2024.
Arnasalam, whose career has seen him appear for the likes of South Liverpool, Stalybridge Celtic and Clitheroe, having previously been labelled a “fan favourite” at Macclesfield, has no previous convictions, but received a caution for a public order offence as a youth in 2014. Julian Nutter said on his behalf: “References speak for another side of Mr Arnasalam.
“He has not come back to the notice of the police since this offence. There appears to be an unaccountable delay of over two years. He has used that two years to good avail.
“He has kept out of trouble. He is effectively of previous good character, and he is an individual who has another side to him. This is wholly out of character. He is very embarrassed that he has done this. Through me, he undertakes to the court that he will never do it again and apologises to the victim in this case.”
Drummond, of Mozart Close in Toxteth, previously received a referral order after being convicted of battery as a youth. He currently plays as a forward with League Two club Chesterfield, having been released from LFC aged 16 before joining the Robbie Fowler Academy and Warrington Rylands.
The 24-year-old also formerly turned out for Macclesfield and enjoyed a loan spell at Oldham Athletic during 2024. His counsel Ken Heckle said: “There is an element of immaturity in respect of his actions. They were out celebrating. Alcohol was clearly an issue.
“He has also used his time wisely. He is now a fully professional footballer. It is sad to see somebody in the dock in these circumstances. His mother sits at the back of court, as does a representative from his football club. Everybody is treating this, quite rightly, as a serious matter.
“The defendant has one previous conviction as a youth. In short form, he was racially abused and he assaulted that person. Other than that, he has led a blameless life. References speak to a wholly different Mr Drummond than the one we have just witnessed on the video screen, using his time usefully in the community and volunteering his skills.
“It is something that the defendant cannot really understand. There was, essentially, a minor assault on one of his friends. He goes to assist, but accepts that his behaviour thereafter is out of order and not in keep with all your lordship has heard about him.
“It clearly would destroy his career if he were to receive an immediate custodial sentence. He is a young man that has got a lot going for him. He has done a lot of good in the past and can do a lot of good in the future.”
Rio Merrifield and Kane Drummond pose for a picture outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Merrifield, of Wynnstay Street in Toxteth, has one previous conviction for section 20 assault, for which he received 12 months detention suspended for 18 months at Preston Crown Court in 2020. The 23-year-old has represented clubs including South Liverpool and Burscough as a footballer.
Stella Hayden, defending, told the court: “References speak of a young man with a bright future and make clear what his foolish behaviour that night has put at stake. He did not instigate the incident, but, of course, he reacted and responded in a way which was wholly unacceptable.
“He offers no excuse or explanation for that. He was only 20 at the time of this incident. The court may be persuaded that there is an issue of maturity in his respect.
“He has undertaken a course in sports psychology. His tutor has supplied a reference and speaks of him in glowing terms. He did have aspirations to be a PE teacher but this conviction will put paid to that, certainly in the short term. He has paid that price.
“His family are devastated that he has put his bright future in jeopardy, but do attend in support of him today. This is a young man who plainly made a terrible mistake that night, but he is a young man with a bright future.”
All three defendants admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm. Arnasalam and Drummond were both handed 20-month imprisonments suspended for 18 months and told to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days.
Merrifield received two years suspended for 18 months, 250 hours of unpaid work and a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Each will be required to pay £500 in compensation, court costs of £150 and a victim surcharge within 28 days.
Rio Merrifield and Kane Drummond pose for a picture outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Both Drummond and Merrifield later posed for a picture for one of their supporters on Derby Square after leaving the Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, with the former seen crossing his arms and smiling in celebration. Sentencing, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “This offence is serious, and the circumstances in which it was committed are outrageous.
“There was no good reason at all for you to behave in that way. I suspect that the main cause was some sort of feeling of disrespect, combined with the quantities of alcohol each of you had consumed.
“All of this ought to have been no more than simply a straightforward argument between you. Mr Lawrence, it seems, reacted towards what you were doing and your daft behaviour and challenged you.
“That led to arguing and pushing and shoving. That ought to have been an end to the matter. Sadly, it was not. Quickly, it escalated to serious violence and and all three of you laying into Mr Lawrence.
“This was outrageous public disorder involving serious violence in the city centre at night time, which, frankly, cannot be tolerated. There is no evidence that he sustained any long term damage to his spine. The situation could have been very different indeed.
“Typically, unprovoked violence at this level of ferocity will result in an immediate term of imprisonment. In each of your cases, you were relatively young at the time.
“There has been a significant delay in the prosecution of this matter. Part of that delay was caused by the fact that all three of you walked away from the scene, and it took a while for the police to identify the three of you.”
Referring to Merrifield’s previous conviction for a similar offence, the judge added: “This behaviour on this night is properly to be regarded as out of character for most of you, although there is a concerning feature in your case Mr Merrifield. In each of your cases, there is much that can be said on your behalves.
“You could not complain if you went immediately to prison today. Many will believe that that is what this behaviour would deserve, but I am not going to send you to prison today.”