Burton Albion star Stephen Bywater was in his pyjamas when armed police swooped on his luxury home after he allegedly swung a sword over the heads of two terrified delivery men.
The Brewers' goalkeeper today (June 4) denied swinging the scimitar "kung-fu-style" after accusing the workmen of scratching his kitchen floor while delivering a new oven.
His wife, Zoe, had ordered the appliance so it was there in time for a cooking party for their daughter’s sixth birthday.
Bywater also denied shouting an obscenity at Lee Horsfall, 43, and John Burgon, 35, when they came to his house in Nether Alderley, Cheshire.
But the 36-year-old admitted lying to police when he initially said he was not holding the 2.5ft-long blade during the altercation.
The former Derby County stopper told Chester Crown Court he had used the curved sword to open new appliance's packaging because it was the best blade he had for the task.
Bywater, denying a single charge of affray on June 27 last year, was handed the weapon in court so he could show the jury how he cut the box open.
He said: "I didn’t come into contact with anyone. I didn’t touch anyone."
His barrister, Lisa Judge, put it to him that Mr Burgon had been "terrified" and began pulling his colleague out of the kitchen "to save his life".
Bywater, standing in the witness box wearing a charcoal-grey suit, white shirt and cream tie, replied: "That’s absolutely impossible because they were not that close to each other – unless he’s got super-long arms."
He said the men had not been forced to "beat a hasty retreat" and he had merely suggested they "take a bit more care" during future deliveries.
The former West Ham 'keeper told the court he did not wave the sword dangerously or barge Mr Horsfall as he and his colleague tried to leave.
Earlier, the jury was played police headcam footage of Bywater’s address. He is seen standing at his gateway wearing a t-shirt, pyjama bottoms and a pair of slippers.
During the footage, Bywater says to the arresting officer: "I can’t believe this is happening to me."
The footballer then walks back into his home in the company of an officer armed with a machine gun over his shoulder.
Bywater was given time to change into shorts and trainers before being taken to Middlewich Police Station in a patrol car.
He told the court he had only earlier realised the alleged victims had called police while speaking to his electrician.
He said: "I was on the phone to him and he said 'I can’t come to your address. I said 'why not?' and he said 'it’s all blocked off by armed police'.
"I looked out of the bedroom window and they were in formation along the street. That’s when the officer looked up and said 'can I have a word?'."
Bywater admitted it was a lie when he told police he had not been holding the scimitar during the incident.
He said: "I’m sorry about that. I was in totally unknown territory and didn’t know what to do. I’ve lost sleep over it and will lose sleep over it for a long time. It’s the one thing I’ve done that’s a mistake.
"I was in this totally alien environment. I couldn’t deal with it. I had one phone call and I called my dad. I just wanted my family to be ok.
"I’d never dealt with the police and it was armed police. I was told I’d been chasing someone and threatening someone with a sword. It seemed like a horror movie to me.
"I counted five armed police and I was told there were many more. I’d done nothing wrong."
He said that in hindsight "it was naïve" to have cut the packaging with the scimitar.
The trial continues.
