Faces Civil Suit

Though it is barely a fortnight since the Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy (1) ________________ (to convict) of assaulting a nightclub attendant, she (2) ________________ (to rehabilitate) her career in the grandiose fashion of our times.

This week, as cameras turned, flashlights popped and the public relations operation swung into overdrive, the 20-year-old singer reflected on her drunken behaviour in January when she punched Sophie Amogbokpa in the toilets of the Drink club in Guilford, Surrey.

During interviews with GMTV, BBC Radio Five Live and the Sun, Tweedy – who (3) ________________ (to receive) a £3,000 fine and 120 hours’ community service – apologized to her fans, her family and the other members of Girls Aloud, a pop band. She is sorry, it seems, to everyone except Mrs Amogbokpa.

That omission may cost the singer from Newcastle dear. In her only media interview since the trial, Mrs Amogbokpa yesterday told the Guardian she (4) _________________ (to launch) a civil action against her assailant, (5) _______________ (to seek) an apology and substantial damages.

“I (6) ________________ (to decide) to air my side of the story,” Mrs Amogbokpa said. “I want the world to see Tweedy the way she really is. What (7) _______________ (to happen) now is that she (8) _______________(to attempt) to carry on with her life and ignore what I went through. When I heard what she told the media it was as if I (9) _______________ (to assault) all over again.”

During the trial at Kingston Crown Court Tweedy (10) _______________ (to clear) of a charge of racially aggravated assault. She since (11) _______________ (to take) comfort in the verdict that while she (12) _______________ (to commit) a violent attack, it racially (13) ________________ (not to motivate). But the new case will challenge that assertion, for Mrs Amogbokpa will seek aggravated damages in the civil court on the basis that the assault was racially motivated. Though the jury in the criminal court rejected that claim, in the civil courts cases (14) ________________ (can/win) “on the balance of probabilities” rather than “beyond legal doubt,” the criminal standard.

Mrs Amogbokpa said that, after the criminal trial, she (15) _________________ (to resolve) to carry on with her life. She finally (16) _________________ (to obtain) a law degree and her priority was to get a job with a solicitor’s firm. But when she saw Tweedy’s publicity blitz and realized she still (17) ________________ (to have) no place in the singer’s thoughts, she decided to act. “If she (18) _______________ (to apologize), it (19) _______________ (to be) the end of the story,” she said. “The judge said she (20) _______________ (not to show) any remorse, but she (21) ________________ (can/do) it now. She (22) ________________ (to convict) of assault and I wanted her to apologize to me as a person. The fact that she (23) ________________ (negative auxiliary) just shows how much she feels I am just rubbish.”

She said that on the night of the attack she (24) _______________ (to give) Tweedy an opportunity to apologize and that, if she (25) ________________ (to do) so, the police never (26) ________________ (to involve).

The details of the assault hotly (27) _______________ (to contest) in court. What (28) ________________ (to agree) was that Tweedy and her fellow band member Nicola Roberts (29)________________ (to go) to the toilets at Drinks. They disappeared into cubicles and Nicola emerged first. She asked to use some of the cosmetics on display and told Mrs Amogbokpa, who (30) ________________ (to work) as a toilet assistant to pay her way through college, that her friend (31) ________________ (to pay) the required tip.

A disagreement what happened when Tweedy emerged formed the crux of the case. Mrs Amogbokpa said the singer began grabbing the sweets she had on display. In her interview with the Guardian she claimed: “I (32) ________________ (to sit) down on a stool. I got up, went over to her and told her, ‘You don’t take things like that.’ I expected her to give me a tip. She became aggressive and violent towards me.”

A security guard (33) ________________ (to call) and Mrs Amogbokpa said that as he (34) ________________ (to seek) (35) ________________ (to restrain) Tweedy she lunged forward with a heavy punch. “She came right through and punched me in the left eye. My vision blurred and the eye closed immediately.”

Tweedy told the court she (36) ________________ (to accost) as she (37) ________________ (to search) for money to pay for the sweets. She admitted (38) _________________ (to hit) Mrs Amogbokpa but said: “She hit me first.” Tweedy denied (39) ________________ (to make) any racist statement.

(From ‘The Guardian’, abridged)

Role play. Mrs Amogbokpa launched a civil action against Cheryl Tweedy on charges of racially aggravated assault. The news made headlines.

Role 1. You are Michael Fletcher, a TV reporter. Interview Mrs Amogbokpa and Miss Tweedy. Find out what they would have done if..., and what their wishes and regrets are.

Role 2. You are Mrs Amogbokpa. Explain to the reporter why you’ve decided to seek aggravated damages in a civil court. Stress that you wouldn’t have... if.... Say what you are going to demand. (... demand / insist / suggest that Tweedy...)

Role 3. You are Cheryl Tweedy. Say what your wishes and regrets are.