LONDON (Azat TV) – England international striker Ivan Toney appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday and formally entered a not guilty plea to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, as BBC reported. The 30-year-old footballer is accused of headbutting and punching a man named Saber Da Silva during an altercation at the 100 Wardour Street nightclub in Soho, central London, on December 6, 2025. Following the brief five-minute hearing overseen by Judge Christopher Hehir, the court set a provisional trial date for June 12, 2028. Toney, who currently plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli and represented England at the World Cup earlier in the summer, was released on unconditional bail.
Court Backlog Pushes Trial Date to 2028
The lengthy delay between the alleged offense and the scheduled trial date drew an apology from the bench during Thursday’s proceedings. Judge Christopher Hehir addressed the defendant directly in the courtroom, stating that the criminal justice system is facing severe operational strain. “That’s a long way in advance and I’m sorry about that,” Judge Hehir told Toney, in an account covered by AOL. “As you may know, the crown courts are operating under a great deal of pressure. We have got a massive backlog of work for various reasons.” The case was initially brought forward following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police, with the formal charge announced in July 2026.
Calendar Conflict with the 2028 European Championship
The provisional trial date of June 12, 2028, coincides directly with the group stage fixtures of the men’s European Championship. The tournament is being jointly hosted across England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland, with three tournament matches scheduled to take place on the exact day of Toney’s next court appearance. While England has not yet secured automatic qualification as the host nation, the scheduling overlap highlights the protracted timelines currently plaguing England’s crown court system. Toney, whose professional career includes spells with Northampton Town, Newcastle United, Peterborough United, and Brentford before his 2024 move to the Saudi Pro League, remains free on unconditional bail while preparation for the 2028 proceedings continues.