Phil Foden's mother thrown out of nightclub after booze-fuelled row after 'party trick'
THIS is the moment Phil Foden's mother was left in handcuffs after being kicked out of a seaside nightclub following a booze-fuelled row with a male clubber.
Claire Rowlands, 44, was handcuffed by officers called to the scene after she was thrown out of Bentley's nightclub in Towyn, North Wales, on September 9 last year.
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Rowlands, who admitted being drunk and disorderly when she appeared before magistrates in Llandudno, had drank tequila and vodka during a girls' night out.
She kicked off after bouncers ejected her for an argument sparked by her “party trick” of taking off a man's cap, the court heard.
After grabbing a baseball cap from 42-year-old Paul Shortman and causing it to fall to the ground, she waved an arm toward him and was asked to leave the room.
Her night got worse when she drunkenly clashed with police.
The 52-second clip shown in court shows Claire aggressively confronting police officers who were called to the scene.
Claire says: “Go on, what have I done? Don't get in my face unless you have proof. No, I won't.
'You're coming to me. No, he comes to me.”
I don't drink often, but when I do I make up for the time. I'm like an animal.”
Claire Rowlands
A friend adds: “She's coming home with me.”
But the PC tells the woman to 'stop' and adds: 'She will stay with us for a minute.'
Rowlands continues: “We can walk away because we haven't done anything wrong,” while the PC adds: “We need to have a word with you, wait there.”
The 44-year-old then tells him: “We haven't committed a criminal offence, we're going, thank you, thank you,” as someone else can be heard saying “f*** off.”
Another PC tells Rowlands again that they “need a word” before refusing again and taking a sip of her drink.
Another woman then shouts “don't do that, dare chase my partner” as Rowlands spreads her arms wide and asks “what have I done” and is surrounded by officers.
“Get off her,” another group member added.
On Tuesday, Rowlands, from Prestbury, Cheshire, was cleared of assaulting Mr Shortman, but she was fined £100, with £85 prosecution costs and a £40 surcharge, after previously admitting being drunk and disorderly in a public place.
During the hearing at Llandudno Crown Court, PC Stephen Gunning said she was “stumbling with slurred speech and glassy eyes”.
She assaulted officers and body footage showed her shouting at them to 'f*** off' before she was handcuffed and arrested.
During the police interview, Rowlands admitted: “I started with the police officers. I was a bit ab***h.”
She also told police she was “like an animal” after drinking.
She said: 'I don't drink often, but when I do I make up for the time. I'm like an animal.”
It comes as Rowlands told Llandudno Crown Court she was invited to a friend's caravan for a “respite break”.
Rowlands, married to Phil Foden Snr, 45, told JP's that caring for her disabled son was 'hard work most of the time'.
As a result, two friends had treated her to a weekend in a friend's aunt's caravan.
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Rowlands told the court the plan was to “laugh” and “let our hair down”.
The 44-year-old said she was downing vodka and tequila shots and the group moved to Sunny's bar in Towyn.
When it closed at 10pm they went to the Bentley's club upstairs.
Rowlands said: “My friends spoke to a few lads.
“There was no hostility, I was drunk and having a good time.”
The court heard she was asked to leave by doormen who accused her of assaulting someone.
“It was actually just a bit of fun.”
A 30-second CCTV clip played for magistrates showed Rowlands knocking a baseball cap off Paul Shortman's head before picking it up from the floor and waving her arm in an attempt to put it back on him.
Her lawyer Simon Martin asked her: “What was going through your mind?”
She replied: “I was just drunk. I had a little fun. I had done it to a boy before. It was really just a bit of fun.”
Mr Martin asked: “Did you intend to harm him?”
She replied, “No.” Mr Martin said the CCTV footage showed her walking across the dance floor and picking up the cap.
“I started working with the police officers. I was a bit ab***h.”
Claire Rowlands
She said: “I just wanted to put his cap back on.”
Mr Martin said Mr Shortman ducked and the cap fell back to the ground without physical contact.
Rowlands said: “I was drunk. It was just a bit of fun, a bit of banter. I just couldn't believe that I could get in trouble for knocking someone's cap off. It's my party trick: knocking someone's cap off and putting it back on.'
Rowlands disagreed that her actions had been reckless.
She added: “It was not my intention to harm or hurt him and you can see that in the video. It was just a joke that was taken the wrong way.”
Drunk and disorderly
In his closing speech, Mr Martin said: “The video speaks for itself. Yes, she knocks his cap off and it falls to the ground. It is not a criminal offense. This is not about someone being hit or kicked. You can see it for what it is: a storm in a teacup.”
The court heard Mr Shortman was not present to give evidence.
Chairman of the Magistrates Duncan Campbell said the prosecution had not proven assault.
He added: “It is clear at the time that you were drunk and having fun. The burden is on the prosecutor to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you intended to use force.
“It is significant that Mr Shortman was not present and that your actions were not consensual. That is why we do not consider you guilty.”
She was cleared of assault by beating but fined £100 for drunkenness and disorder, with £85 costs and a £40 surcharge.
Rowlands was given 90 days to pay.
She left the court with her coat over her head, along with Phil Snr.
The couple are directors of PWF Management Ltd, named after the initials of their son, Philip Walter Foden.
SUPS-'N-DOWNS
PHIL Foden's proud mother Claire has supported his career since his football talent was spotted at the age of four.
A Manchester City scout was made aware of Foden while he was in the primaries at Bridge Hall in working-class Edgeley, Stockport.
But life hasn't all been smooth sailing. In May 2021, Claire was involved in a drunken brawl that left one woman with black eyes.
Katie Skitt needed a tetanus shot after finding bite marks in Stockport.
In February 2022, Claire clashed with boxing fans after Phil was verbally abused following Kell Brook's win over Amir Khan.
Phone footage showed her appearing to push a yob before he waved at her. Another man punched her in defense.
Police investigated and City said the club was shocked by the attack on Claire.
A month later, she and hubby Phil Snr sparked police complaints over loud music in their £2.85 million home.
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