Three-year ban for football fan who ‘slapped’ police officer

EIGHT Aston Villa fans, including one from Swadlincote, who attacked stewards at an away match after a goal was disallowed have avoided jail.

Tempers flared after an equalising goal by Henri Lansbury was ruled out by the referee and captain Jack Grealish was booked for a dive in the build-up.

A total of eight men were charged with affray. Jack Baker, 22, Todd Kershaw, 36, Liam Miller, 30, Colin Fairgrieve, 54, Ryan Ross, 22, Mitchell Voss, 26, Kurt Griffiths, 42, and son Reece Griffiths, 21, all admitted affray after the game at Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park stadium.

At a sentencing hearing last month Baker, Kershaw and Miller were told to carry out unpaid work and Miller and Kershaw have been banned from attending football matches for the next three years.

Croydon Magistrates’ Court heard the assault on stewards at the Selhurst Park Stadium on August 31, 2019, was captured on CCTV.

Kershaw and Baker were let off with 12-month community orders.

Chloe Carvell, defending, said neither Baker nor Kershaw were “typical football hooligans”. She told the court Kershaw, of Swadlincote, owns a classic car restoration business and has lost a work contract after photos emerged of him at the match.

Prosecutors say Kershaw “slapped” an officer on the head as they tried to arrest another fan misbehaving at the match.

Ms Carvell said: “The slap was to the top of the officer’s hat. Mr Kershaw reacted impulsively.”

Baker was told to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and Kershaw 120. They were both told to pay costs and a victim surcharge of £175.