A 19-year-old Derby fan has been banned from attending football matches for five years, after punching a police officer twice following Nottingham Forest’s convincing 2-1 win over their local rivals. Kyle Adams, of Burton-upon-Trent, was among Derby supporters being escorted by Nottinghamshire Police back to the train station when the incident occurred on January 22 following their defeat at the City Ground.
In a statement released by Nottinghamshire Police, they say Adams told a police officer: “I really want to headbutt you”, as they made their way across Lady Bay Bridge. The officer replied to Adams, telling him to “keep walking” before a fight broke out and other officers moved in - it was in this commotion that Adams punched the officer he had threatened minutes previously. He was arrested on Cattle Market Road, charged with the common assault of an emergency worker, as well as using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or violence.
Superintendent Claire Rukas, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “It is important to remember the vast majority of fans attending the match did so peacefully and without becoming involved in disorder. Sadly, there were some pockets of disorder following the result and I would like to pay tribute to the professionalism and determination of the officers who responded to keep people safe.
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“Adams took it upon himself to assault on of these officers. His actions were completely unacceptable, and we welcome the sentence passed down to him – it should serve as a strong warning to others who might consider committing similar appalling offences. I would like to thank Derbyshire police officers who assisted at the match itself, as well as attending court to provide evidence of the impact of violence at football. We will continue to work closely with other forces to ensure that law abiding fans can attend matches free from violence and intimidation.”
Adams appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on March 22 and plead guilty to both charges – receiving a 12-month community order of 120 hours unpaid work, along with a £180 fine and an order of £200 compensation to be paid to the assaulted officer.
