Prosecutors drop assault charge against Sheffield United footballer
Criminal proceedings against Rhian Brewster were discontinued in the 22-year-old’s absence at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court.
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Prosecutors have dropped an assault charge brought against Sheffield United footballer Rhian Brewster after a fan claimed he was stamped on during a pitch invasion.
A brief hearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court, held in Brewster’s absence on Thursday, was told a charge of common assault against the 22-year-old has been discontinued.
The charge had alleged Brewster assaulted Nottingham Forest fan George Brinkley at the City Ground following the Championship play-off semi-final on May 17.
Fellow Blades star Oli McBurnie still faces the same charge and proceedings against him were adjourned administratively by the same court until next Thursday.
McBurnie, a 26-year-old Scotland international, from Knaresborough in North Yorkshire, was not required to attend court and his lawyer was also not present.
Before adjourning the two-minute hearing, Deputy District Judge Samantha Rastogi asked prosecutor Freddie Sail: “For Rhian Brewster, I understand Mr Sail that the Crown have discontinued that case?”
Confirming that a discontinuation notice had been served, Mr Sail responded: “That is the position ma’am.”
The judge added: “In relation to the case of Mr Oli McBurnie the case stands adjourned until 10am on the 4th of August.”
The court was told that a review of the case against McBurnie was also taking place.
Forest, who went on to earn promotion to the Premier League, won 3-2 on penalties after the semi-final tie against United ended 3-3 on aggregate.
Home fans then invaded the pitch, during which Blades skipper Billy Sharp was headbutted by a supporter who was later jailed.
Forest season ticket holder Robert Biggs, 30, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm which left Sharp requiring four stitches to a wound to his lip.
Biggs, a £55,000-a-year electrical engineer, was jailed on May 19 for 24 weeks and handed a 10-year football banning order.