Soccer stars 'were being cocky'

A waitress saw a bouncer's face covered in blood after he was allegedly attacked by three footballers, a court heard today.

Ilona Jankovich said doorman Trevor Thirlwall, 28, was surrounded by glass. He had allegedly been attacked by Chelsea stars John Terry - who has been accused of hitting him in the face with a bottle - and Jody Morris and Wimbledon player Des Byrne after they were ejected from the Wellington Club in Knightsbridge.

Ms Jankovich told Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court she had seen the players behaving in an "aggressive" way before the attack on 4 January.

She walked in as Mr Thirlwall and another bouncer were asking them to leave. She said: "They were being cocky." Later she said she saw Mr Thirlwall with "blood all over his face".

Customer Zoe Lynch-Ball said: "One of the three footballers came through the door quite aggressively and they started fighting, it was quite a charge. It was at Trevor. A second man went for the other bouncer."

Earlier Desmond de Silva QC, representing Terry, said the bouncers were the aggressors.

He said Mr Thirlwall's brother Matthew had knocked Byrne out with a "boxer's punch".

Terry, Morris and Byrne are accused of affray. Terry is also accused of wounding, and he and Byrne are accused of having a bottle as an offensive weapon. They deny all charges.

The trial continues.