Football fan who threw flare gets stadium ban
FELLOW CITY SUPPORTER ENGULFED IN ACRID SMOKE
A LEICESTER City fan who threw a blue smoke flare during a match at Old Trafford has been ordered to pay £200 compensation to a disabled woman who suffered smoke inhalation after it landed at her feet.
Amar Raithatha, 26, had gone to watch the Leicester game against Manchester United on April 2 this year, the Manchester Evening News reported.
Raithatha, of Franklin Way, Whetstone, appeared before Tameside Magistrates’ Court this week to be sentenced after pleading guilty to common assault, possessing a flare at a sporting event and throwing a missile.
The masters student has been banned from all football grounds for three years, ordered to pay £200 in compensation to the woman, do 80 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order and also told to pay £85 in court costs.
At an earlier court case it was revealed that Raithatha bought the flare online and concealed it while he went into the stadium, later igniting and throwing it during the match.
The court heard the blue smoke flare was launched towards a lower tier area of the ground after Leicester took the lead through Kelechi Iheanacho in the 63rd minute of the match, which ended 1-1.
It landed near to the feet of a 69-year-old woman, a fellow City supporter, sitting in a section for supporters with disabilities.
She was “engulfed” in blue smoke, the court heard, which caused her eyes to sting painfully, and she needed first aid. She did not suffer any serious injuries.
Raithatha had been seated 20 rows from the front of the lower tier.
The three-year football banning order means he must not be within a mile of a football stadium, other than for legitimate reasons, the Crown Prosecution Service said after the case.
Adrian Hollamby, senior crown prosecutor, said after the sentencing hearing: “Amar Raithatha admitted buying three flares on Amazon. He travelled from Leicester to Manchester, concealed a flare on entry to the stadium and during the game he ignited and threw it.
“His reckless actions caused a fan to suffer smoke inhalation.
“Football-related offences cause harm to law-abiding fans, those who work in the grounds and communities around them.
“They also have a serious impact on the reputation of football at home and abroad.
“The CPS is dedicated to bringing those who commit such offences to justice.”
The court heard the woman needed water to clean her eyes and was assessed by first-aiders.
Raithatha has a masters degree in pharmacy and was training to be a pharmacist at the time.
Mitigating, Laura Baumanis said her client made full and frank admissions following his arrest.
“He is extremely sorry for the victim and has regret and remorse for what happened.
“What happened should have never taken place and the actions could have had serious consequences. Fortunately, there were no major injuries.”