Another City fan, 23, admits to violence before big cup match
MINORITY OF FANS DISGRACED THEMSELVES IN FOREST CLASH
A LEICESTER City supporter who was involved in the violence that surrounded the FA Cup clash with Nottingham Forest in February has been banned from going to any Foxes matches.
Some City fans disgraced themselves before the match, the first meeting between the East Midlands rivals for eight years, with disorder in the city centre in the hours before kick-off and then one running onto the field to attack home players.
A number of City fans have already been dealt with by the police and courts, and the latest to appear is Craig Jones, 23, of Arden Avenue, Braunstone Town.
He was before Nottingham Crown Court on Friday and entered a guilty plea to violent disorder.
He was released on bail before his sentencing hearing on July 22.
His strict bail conditions include a ban from attending any town or city on the day Leicester City are playing, and not to go to Nottinghamshire except to attend court.
He has been told he can expect a similar order as part of his sentence.
Jones has a previous conviction for violent disorder, from September 2018, which he told the court was “a bit of an altercation with a doorman in Leicester” and not footballrelated.
He was handed a 22-month jail term for that offence.
In a highly-charged fourth round tie between the two clubs on Sunday, February 6, Championship side Forest thrashed cup-holders City 4-1 in front of a near sell-out 28,762 crowd. The day had already been marred by events off the pitch, with City fans targeting at least two pubs and bars in Nottingham city centre hours before the 4pm kick-off.
Families were said to have been put in fear when fans threw chairs at the windows of Nottingham’s Fat Cat bar at lunchtime, and later The Cross Keys pub, near the city’s Lace Market area, was damaged as City supporters hurled furniture at it on their way to the ground.
During the match, a City supporter rushed onto the pitch to attack Forest players celebrating going 3-0 up in the first half.
Cameron Toner, 19, of Whetstone, threw punches at the huddle of players and was handed four months in youth custody, along with a 10-year football banning order.
He had already been banned for life by Leicester City, with the club quick to condemn the actions of a minority of supporters.
Three other men have previously admitted their involvement in the violence. Craig Flint, of Silver Street, Whitwick; Tyrone Smith, 37, of Central Road, Woodgate, Leicester; and Neil Munden, 53, of Win for de Crescent, Braunstone, Leicester, appeared alongside each other at Nottingham Crown Court last month. The court heard others had participated in the violence but had not yet been identified.
A full outline of the case against them, and mitigation, will be heard when they attend a half-day sentencing hearing, again on July 22. Pre-sentence reports have been requested.
On the guidelines, the prosecution said it is likely to pitch sentencing at a two-year starting point, and will make applications for long-term football banning orders.
After the violence, police in Nottinghamshire appealed for help identifying people caught on CCTV committing crimes. At the time, Detective Sergeant Jon Kerry said: “While the majority of people who attended the match were well behaved, unfortunately there were a small number who were intent on causing harm. This will not be tolerated.”