Eight men sentenced for ‘widespread violence’ before FA Cup match
The judge said their behaviour was ‘disgraceful and ridiculous’.
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Eight football fans have been sentenced for their involvement in violent scenes before an FA Cup Fourth Round match which saw a bar and pub damaged.
The group of Leicester City fans, aged between 23 and 60, were part of a larger group of supporters who threw chairs and bottles at two venues in Nottingham city centre and threatened customers inside on February 6 2022, ahead of the Foxes’ match against Nottingham Forest.
The ugly scenes took place as Foxes fans made their way to the City Ground, Forest’s home ground. Three people sustained minor injuries.
This is a large-scale piece of violence in which everyone played an active part.
At Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, CCTV, mobile and police bodycam footage showed Nathan Charles, Samuel Malloy, Warren Green, Neil Munden, Craig Flint, Tyrone Smith, Craig Jones and Przemyslaw Danik each participating in the attack outside the Fat Cat in Chapel Bar, Nottingham, at around 1.40pm.
Describing the incident, Steven Bailey, prosecuting, said: “It was no fun for any bystander or anyone on the receiving end.
“This was entirely unwarranted violence which affected a great number of ordinary people just trying to enjoy their day.
“When all is said and done, this is a large-scale piece of violence in which everyone played an active part.”
Mr Bailey said that many inside the Fat Cat were not football supporters, including children.
The eight defendants were seen gesticulating to those inside the premises and throwing chairs and tables at the door, with one customer shouting “where is the police?” on mobile footage taken from inside the venue.
The manager of the Fat Cat estimated that around £1,000 worth of damage was caused by the incident, which lasted around a minute.
Flint was then involved in a second, similar incident at the Cross Keys in Byard Street at around 3.15pm, which saw around £400 of damage inflicted when other Leicester fans tried to force their way into the venue.
The incident left the manager of the pub feeling “shaken” and “vulnerable”, Mr Bailey said.
Three of the defendants did not have tickets for the game and were issued dispersal orders by police, who then escorted them and several other travelling supporters back to Nottingham train station.
This was a serious disruption which had a severely detrimental impact on the community.
Mr Bailey said both clubs donated £30,000 to fund extra policing after concern was raised over potential violence, with Nottinghamshire Police asking for the kick-off to be moved to an earlier time to limit the amount of time fans could drink prior to kick-off.
However, due to the game being televised, it did not kick off until 4pm.
During the match, in which then-Championship side Forest beat then-FA Cup holders Leicester 4-1, a Leicester fan jumped over advertising hoardings and assaulted three Forest players as they celebrated their side’s third goal.
Cameron Toner, then aged 19, was later sentenced to four months in a young offenders institution and banned from attending football matches for 10 years.
All eight defendants had pleaded guilty prior to this week’s hearing to one count of violent disorder, with Flint also admitting a second count of the same offence.
Sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Nirmal Shant KC said: “I am in no doubt that this caused those inside great anxiety and distress, including a young child who was heard screaming.
“This was a serious disruption which had a severely detrimental impact on the community.
“It involved widespread, large-scale acts of violence.”
Charles, 37, of Pits Avenue, Leicester, was sentenced to 14 months, suspended for two years.
Danik, 41, of Rutland Street, Leicester, was given a sentence of 15 months, suspended for 20 months.
Green, 60, of Peverel Road, Leicester, was given a 14-month sentence, suspended for two years.
Jones, 24, of Arden Avenue, Leicester, was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
Malloy, 25, of Warwick Avenue, Stanion, Northamptonshire, was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, and must complete 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Smith, 38, of Central Road, Leicester, was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
Munden, 54, of Kinsdale Drive, Leicester, was given a 15-month sentence suspended for two years.
Flint, 41, of Silver Street, Whitwick, Leicestershire, had already been given a football banning order for being found with a flare as he entered the ground on the day of the game, which the court heard he had breached on three separate occasions prior to Wednesday’s sentencing. He was given concurrent 21-month sentences on both charges.
The defendants who were given suspended sentences must all complete 140 hours of unpaid work and pay a £250 fine, and were given four-year football banning orders.
The other three were given six-year football banning orders.
Leicester City FC has been approached for comment.