Shropshire Star

Telford football fan, 21, banned from matches over disturbance after Wolves game

A 21-year-old Telford man is among four football fans banned from attending any matches in the country after they admitted taking part in disturbances following a Wolves game.

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Ryan Boyd, of Red Kite Close, Leegomery, Stephen Brown, 43, Stephen Hackett, 48, and Jack Harris were outside The Feathers pub in Wolverhampton when trouble flared after a Wolves home match with Sheffield United on September 28 last year.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard the four Wolves supporters were among a large group of fans who gathered outside the pub following their team's 2-0 win.

A cordon of police was in position to keep them apart from a group of rival Sheffield United fans– which included a number of known hooligans – who had congregated in Molineux Street opposite the pub.

Mr Howard Searle, prosecuting, said Boyd was seen gesturing towards police with his arms raised when a flare became activated it incited him to gesticulate even more furiously.

Hackett, who the court was told has 37 previous offences and had received a three-year football banning order in March 2008, was seen towards the front of the group gesticulating and shouting, 'Come on. Bring it on'.

Defending unemployed Boyd, Miss Laura Hobson said the incident had taught him a "salutary lesson".

Recorder Mr Martin Wasik, told the defendants: "This is not the worst case I have come across by any means, but there was still a significant degree of disorder."

All four men admitted using threatening behaviour. Hackett, of Goodyear Avenue, Low Hill, Wolverhampton, and Brown, of Martley Road, Oldbury, both admitted using threatening behaviour and were banned from attending football matches for four years. They were both fined £600.

Boyd and Harris, of Lichfield Road, Wednesfield, both pleaded guilty to the same charge and were banned from attending football matches for three years. Both were also given a 12-month community order with supervision and 60 hours of unpaid work.

All four defendants were ordered to pay £100 costs and a £60 statutory surcharge.

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