Football hooligan gets a three-year match ban
A football hooligan who threw a bottle on to the pitch at a Shrewsbury Town match has been banned from going to football games in the UK and abroad for three years.
Adam Taylor, 24, admitted throwing a 500ml plastic bottle on to a football playing area.
The tractor driver, who had gone to the match between Shrewsbury and Sheffield United on November 2, was banned from football grounds for three years, fined £500 and ordered to pay £85 costs with a £50 surcharge.
Shrewsbury Magistrates Court was told that Taylor, of Wem Mill, Wem, was known to police for hooliganism at football matches across the country.
The court was trold he had gone to the match with friends to celebrate his birthday.
Mrs Abbie Hill, prosecuting, said: "At around 4.15pm, just after the second half had started, something happened on the pitch that caused the crowd to surge to its feet.
"The defendant, who was sitting in the West Stand, launched a Coke bottle towards the pitch.
"A steward, who was standing behind the defendant saw him do this, attempted to apprehend the defendant who ran away."
Mrs Hill said that Taylor was later identified from CCTV and was arrested and interviewed.
She said he was a well-known football hooligan with a string of offences behind him, adding: "He has been identified in more than 40 incidents of hooliganism over the years across the country.
"In interview he said he did not know why he had thrown the bottle, but had run away as it was his birthday and did not want to spend it in custody."
Taylor, who was representing himself, said he did not know why he had thrown the bottle
He told the court: "Afterwards, the steward said the police would want to speak to me, but I didn't want to get arrested on my birthday so I ran away."
