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Leeds United: Three year ban on yob fans
Nine Leeds United fans who went to games looking for trouble were each banned for three years from attending the club's home and away matches.
The application for the banning orders was brought by the West Yorkshire Police Solicitor and was granted by District Judge Roy Anderson sitting at Leeds Magistrates' Court.
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He declined to award costs against the defendants, saying that the bans were punishment enough.
They affect the following fans:
Neil Ward, 36, of Rycroft Towers, Swinnow, Leeds; Paul Stockdale, 44, of Old Oak Close, West Park, Leeds; Sean Etherington, 36, of Vinery Mount, East End Park, Leeds; James Lowry, 43, Eldon Street, Tuxford, Newark; Darren Bizby, 42, Tenter Road, Doncaster; Andrew Claire, 34, Haycocks Close, Dothill, Telford; Carl Walsh, 31, Trinity Road, Retford, Notts; Mark Punter, 42, Wellington Drive, Campsall, Doncaster and David Evans, 42, Great North Road, Torworth, Retford.
The judge said the Chief Constable drew attention to the conduct of all nine defendants over the last three years.
Evidence related to a match at Bristol Rovers in March 2009; the game at Millwall in October 2009; and the game at Manchester United in January this year.
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The judge said missiles were thrown between rival fans at Millwall before the disorder was broken up by police.
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The Leeds fans had gathered at the Surrey Keys pub which had opened "perhaps inappropriately" early and then had six hours of drinking time before the match started.
On the day of the Manchester game, the nine defendants were among a large crowd of Leeds fans who gathered at the Sedge Lynn pub, Chorlton-cum-Hardy.
The pub opened at 8.30am and some fans arrived early, said Judge Anderson.
Police counted 400 supporters and divided them into those who had tickets and those who hadn't and then escorted the latter to the city centre.
Claire had come by train from Telford and then travelled to the suburb for the meeting. Walsh and Evans came all the way from Retford and Punter came from Doncaster.
Lowry, who came from Newark, arrived at the pub at 8.20am before it had even opened.
Judge Anderson said computer messages between rival fans showed in the clearest possible terms that the Sedge Lynn was the chosen venue for some sort of substantial disorder.
"I conclude that the Sedge Lynn was intended to be a trial of strength if the opportunity arose," he said, "And it depended on the police being wrong-footed, the fans arrriving early and the pub being unknown for large scale incidents of disorder."
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
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