When Being Too Good A Poker Player Can Lead To Disaster

A three week trial has just ended in which UK poker tournament organiser, Ken Johnston stood accused of beating up a man at a charity event for the unusual reason of being too excellent a player.
The bizarre incident allegedly took place after Northern Poker Stars boss Johnston hosted and organised a poker event to help raise money for a Mount Kilimanjaro climbing expedition. The money was then to go towards CFM Radio’s Cash for Kid campaign.
On August 22nd, 2010 the poker event was in full swing at the Ennerdale Country House Hotel in Cumbria, when participant Steven Nicholls claimed that tournament organiser, Ken Johnston singled Nicholls out from among the competitors as being ‘too successful’ a player and winning too much money.
Steven Nicholls claims that in a fit of pique Johnston then punched him several times on the head, before knocking him off his chair and kicking him while on the ground. All in all he said the beating lasted around ten minutes and finally came to an end after other attendees pulled Ken Johnston off of him.
Talking about his upcoming climbing expedition to Africa before the alleged incident, Johnston stated:
“I’m 40 in May and I fancied doing something adventurous. I’m a former physical training instructor in the Army and I keep fit these days by cycling a lot and spending time in the gym.”
Following the alleged assault, Steven Nicholls pressed charges against Johnston but in the subsequent trial lasting three day Johnston was found not guilty of assault.
As his barrister Charlotte Atherton explained, it seemed odd that no one could verify Nicholls’ story and that after being attacked by “a much larger man” he simply walked away without seeking any assistance.
One final point, on researching online I could find no evidence of Steven Nicholls’ apparent poker prowess, either, maybe indicating there are equally as many leaks in his poker game as there were in his story.