Romasupporter‘lashed out’ at Liverpool fan as he fell to ground, court told

A ROMA supporter lashed out at an Irish Liverpool fan as he fell to the ground during a joint attack before a Champions League semi-final, a court has heard.

Filippo Lombardi (21), is accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Sean Cox (53) outside Anfield before the first leg of the game on April 24.

Opening the trial at Preston Crown Court yesterday, Neville Biddle, prosecuting, said: “Before the match, Liverpool supporter Sean Cox, a middle-aged family man from Dublin, who was a lifelong Liverpool supporter and who had come to the city with his older brother Martin, was assaulted and knocked unconscious and seriously injured. It’s the Crown’s case that two men were involved in the assault on Sean Cox — this defendant and another.

“It was the other man that struck the blow that felled Sean Cox and rendered him unconscious. The Crown say this was a joint attack by the other man and the defendant, they were both acting together and therefore equally responsible for the injuries inflicted.”

The court was told a second man had been arrested in Rome and is awaiting extradition.

Mr Biddle said Lombardi and the man shown on footage punching Mr Cox, referred to as N40, were at the front of a group of Roma fans who walked to the stadium ahead of the match.

Some of the group were taking their belts off and were holding them in a threatening manner.

The court heard Mr Cox, from Dunboyne, Co Meath, and his brother were outside the Albert pub when they heard the group chanting and Martin Cox had gone to move away from them.

Mr Biddle said: “Even as he did, he turned to see Sean Cox lying motionless on the ground.”

He said footage pieced together from CCTV and mobile phones showed Lombardi raising Sean Cox’s wife Martina and a family member leave court yesterday. Left, outside of The Albert pub, next to Anfield stadium where Sean Cox (inset) was attacked

his belt as if to strike Sean Cox, before the other man punched him.

He added: “As he is falling to the ground, the defendant lashes out at him as he falls.

“It is quite clear, the Crown say, the defendant and N40 are acting together in a joint attack on an innocent bystander.” He said Lombardi was identified on footage by Italian officers and arrested before leaving the match.

Alison Gurden, defending,

said Lombardi had admitted an offence of violent disorder and accepted his behaviour after the attack on Mr Cox “went too far”.

Some members of Mr Cox’s family left court as the jury of six men and six women were shown a number of video clips of the attack on Mr Cox.

Detective Constable Philip Hankin said it was not possible to say whether the belt wielded by Lombardi had made contact with Mr Cox. The trial is expected to last until next week.