England international Ivan Toney appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he entered a not guilty plea to a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm. The charge stems from an alleged incident that occurred on December 6 at a nightclub in Soho, central London.
Toney, 30, stood in the dock to confirm his personal details and formally enter his plea. He is accused of headbutting and punching Saber Da Silva during the altercation. Dressed in a black top layered over a shirt and tie, the footballer arrived at the court shortly after 9:30 am, accompanied by three members of his entourage.
The criminal proceedings follow an investigation conducted by London’s Metropolitan Police, with the charge being formally announced in late July. In a statement released through his spokesperson, Toney acknowledged the charge. His representative noted that while the player is naturally shocked by the situation, he looks forward to the opportunity to clear his name in court.
Toney was released on unconditional bail and is scheduled to appear before a judge and jury at Southwark Crown Court on October 29. The case arises during a period of transition for the striker, who represented England at this summer’s World Cup but missed the recent Nations League squad. He accumulated 10 caps and one goal for his country before moving from Brentford, where he scored 72 goals over four seasons, to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in 2024.
Soho nightclub drama. These things always get messy. Let’s see what the jury finds out.
Does this affect his international future? I wonder if Southgate would risk selecting him post-trial.
Shocking news about a so-called England star. The World Cup must have been quite different for him.
Hope the evidence holds up. It’s serious if true, but he has every right to a fair trial.