Ban and fine for fan guilty of assaulting player

MAN RAN ONTO PITCH AND ‘GRABBED’ TOON KEEPER DUBRAVKA

Reporter

A FOOTBALL fan has been given a three-year football banning order after he assaulted Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka during a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Chelsea last year.

Jordan Chidley, 25, admitted assault by beating and unlawfully going onto a playing area at a football pitch, after he invaded Stamford Bridge on December 19, 2023.

District judge Neeta Minhas, issued a three-year banning order, as well as a fine of £807 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. Prosecutor Malachy Pakenham told the court that Chidley climbed onto the pitch after Chelsea scored an equaliser, before running over to Dubravka.

The prosecution said: “The steward tries to grab him, he then puts his arms out and grabs and touches the goalie who pulls away from him.” While the court was told the contact was ‘quite minimal’, Chidley was later arrested and said that his behaviour was ‘due to overexuberant celebrations’ as Chelsea had scored in the final minutes of the match.

The court did not hear a statement from Dubravka, who ‘appears not to be too alarmed’. Chidley’s defence told the court that what he did was not ‘malicious’ and just an act of ‘euphoria’. It was also said that Chidley is ‘not a football hooligan’ and that this was a ‘one-off incident’.

The judge also made reference to ‘extremely positive’ character references given for Chidley, but she told him: “When I’m sentencing you I’m thinking not only about the offence that was committed, but also... I want to send out a message to deter other peo

Martin Dubravka of Newcastle United

ple from doing something similar.”

Chidley was fined £807, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £323 and costs of £85 - a grand total of £1,215. Following the game in December, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe, said: “I have always said the safety of the players, coaches, managers, referees, linesmen, that’s the priority in any football match so more has to be done to keep especially irate supporters away from anybody.”

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, added: “It’s a thing that can put in danger the players. It’s always disappointing with this type of thing because it’s dangerous.”

Police would like to speak to this man

NORTHUMBRIA Police have released an image of a man they would like to trace as part of an investigation into a report of sexual assault in Gateshead.

Police received a report that between 2.25pm and 2.40pm on Thursday, December 7, a 19-year-old woman got onto the number 12 bus at Blaydon Bus concourse. While sitting on the bus, a man unknown to the woman who was sitting opposite sexually assaulted her, officers said.

The victim then got off the bus in the Axwell View area of Blaydon,

but the offender chased her down the road. The man then fled the scene.

An investigation has been launched into the incident. Officers have now released an image of a man they would like to trace in connection with the report.

He was in the area at the time the offence is reported to have taken place.

The man, or anyone who knows him, should use the ‘Report’ page of the Northumbria Police website or call 101, quoting crime reference number 151885G/23.