Oasis frontman 'beaten up by computer geeks'

ALLAN HALL IN BERLIN


OASIS lead singer Liam Gallagher was beaten up by a group of estate agents and computer salesmen in a nightclub fracas 17 months ago, not gangsters as was originally claimed, according to Munich police.

They also said Gallagher had been using cocaine and was "totally drunk" when the mêlée broke out in the nightclub, attached to one of the city’s premier hotels.

Now his five attackers are likely to be charged with causing grievous bodily harm in the brawl that cost Gallagher his front teeth and left much of the nightclub furniture reduced to matchwood.

Gallagher, 31, could also face proceedings, Munich’s chief prosecutor, Anton Winkler, said yesterday.

He added: "He was the worst one in the entire episode. He assaulted a police officer who was trying to pull other people apart. If proceedings are brought he could face a fine or suspended sentence."

Mr Winkler said blood tests conducted after Gallagher’s arrest showed he was drunk and had been using cocaine, although no cocaine was found on him.

Other band members are also under investigation and could be summoned.

The fight happened on the night of 1 December, 2002.

At the time, police indicated that Gallagher, Allen White, Steven Allen and Philip Bevan Smith were beaten after insulting a group of mafia-linked locals.

The men had booked their table at the nightclub under the name of Matera - a local criminal of some renown - which led police along a false trail for many months.

The police report states that the fight began because the Oasis group began flicking peanuts at the businessmen. Their full names have not been released by the Munich public prosecutor, but all are aged between 32 and 38.

Their "leader" is called Christian W, 38, described as a "muscular blond". In the police report, he knocked out two Oasis bodyguards with a brass standing ashtray. The prosecutor’s office says it has statements from 50 witnesses to the fight and that "in all probability" a prosecution will follow.

Lawyers for the men are angry that Gallagher and the others may not be summoned - especially as Gallagher kicked a policeman and was foul-mouthed to other officers who arrived at the hotel.

"We feel their fame will allow them to get off, even though they started everything," a lawyer for one of the men said in a statement.

Gallagher paid a fine of nearly 250,000 - £170,000 - for his conduct and that of other band members at the time. It may be that the prosecutor’s office will find this sufficient not to press new charges against him.

The Oasis German tour was immediately cancelled after the fracas, and Gallagher flew back to the UK after undergoing emergency dental treatment in Munich.

The witness statements and police investigation papers run to 1,000 sides, according to the prosecutor’s office.

at the time it happened my bro who lives in munich told me liam had picked on the wrong people

he said the 5 were italian sas-equivalents

who knows?

what?
computer geeks all the way IMO...

hmmm you make a strong point there.
Harry, Choco and a few of the other "boys". Hmmm...
No wonder Harry hasn't been spotted here in a while. If only he played it cool like the chocolate man.

"Don, andiamo, il inglese i canadesi are making problemi.."
"Vai vai Harry, tony and francesco will sort that out.."