Football banning orders after Mansfield disorder
A group of men have received football banning orders after they were filmed goading rival fans in Mansfield Town Centre.
Officers were called to reports of a fight near the bus station after the League One game between Mansfield Town and Rotherham United on 21 December last year.
A group of Rotherham fans – several dressed as Father Christmas – were making their way to the bus station shortly after 5pm when they were confronted by a group of young men wearing tracksuits.
Insults and threats were yelled in full view of afternoon shoppers, and one man was pushed to the ground.
Four men were identified in the days after the incident and later each pleaded guilty to using threatening / abusive / insulting words / behaviour with intent to cause fear of / provoke unlawful violence.
Jake Lamb, aged 25, of Westfield Lane, Mansfield, Lewis Jones, of The Rodery, Mansfield and Brandon and Tyler Wass, both aged 20, of Fairholme Drive, Mansfield all appearing at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 29 April.
The four men were each given a community order and ordered to carry out unpaid work. They were also handed Football Banning Orders prohibiting them from attending any football match in the UK for the next three years.
Sergeant Cat Darby, of the Mansfield Town Centre policing team, said: “This was disgraceful behaviour carried out in full view of Christmas shoppers.
“Rather than celebrating their team’s 1-0 victory and returning home with a spring in their step, these young men decided to seek out a wholly unnecessary and avoidable confrontation with rival fans.
“In doing so they not only brought shame on themselves, they also damaged the reputation of our town and the club that many of us are proud to support.”
PC John Albanese, dedicated football officer for Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Incidents like this give football clubs – and football supporters in general – a bad reputation, and will never be tolerated.
“Whether they happen inside or outside of the stadiums, supporters should know that incidents of this nature will be thoroughly investigated and will likely end up with a visit from a police officer.
“Further still they can also expect to be banned from football matches for a long time."