Noel Gallagher has fired back at his brother Liam's libel allegations by branding his former Oasis bandmate "spiteful and childish" and accusing him of "disrupting gigs" and "acting irresponsibly".
The Gallagher sibling rivalry heated up when Liam launched a libel lawsuit against Noel earlier this year (11) for claiming Oasis pulled out of Britain's V Festival in 2009 because the singer had a hangover.
Noel has now responded to his estranged brother's legal action with a series of counter-accusations filed in London's High Court on 1 November (11).
In his 14-page defence, Liam is accused of headbutting a fan in Australia in 1998 and Noel even claims the frontman attacked him with a guitar during their infamous 2009 backstage bust-up, which prompted the band's split.
It reads, "Alarmingly for the defendant, the claimant was physically violent towards him. He went to his dressing room, fetched his guitar, and on returning began swinging the guitar around in the air like an axe, nearly smashing the defendant in the face with it."
The document also lists 12 incidents from 1994 to 2005 in which Liam allegedly "disrupted" gigs, stating, "The claimant had a history over the years of not only throat problems and of pursuing such an incompatible lifestyle, but of treating Oasis fans and the defendant with disrespect by disrupting gigs, including walking off stage, assaulting them and generally acting irresponsibly."
The brothers' legal fight was believed to have been dropped after Noel apologised to Liam for claiming he pulled out of the V Festival due to a hangover, but now the duo is expected to face off in court next year (12).
A spokesperson for Liam tells Britain's Daily Mirror, "After Noel apologised the matter is now in the hands of lawyers."