Five more Manchester United fans who participated in ‘childlike' behaviour when a protest turned violent before a Premier League clash with Liverpool have avoided jail. Thousands of fans descended on Old Trafford on May 2 last year to protest the Glazer’s ownership of the club which quickly deteriorated into some engaging in drunken violence against police officers.
One officer was ‘seriously injured’ and the game had to be postponed after fans clashed with police and stewards, with dozens of fans breaking into the stadium and throwing bottles and cans during the fracas. Three United supporters were sentenced for their part in the chaos earlier this week, with five more sentenced at Manchester Crown Court today. There are 40 defendants overall being hauled before the court after pleading guilty to violent disorder and other offences.
Dylan Blood, of Salford, Ben Cowlishaw, of Trafford, Robert Edwards, of Worsley, Jake Collins, of Eccles, and Simon Wright, of Sandbach, have all avoided jail for their part in the violent disorder, which ranged from throwing bottles at officers, spitting at officers, jumping on cars, and ripping the wing mirror off of a police van. All of this was caught on various CCTV cameras, which Judge Patrick Field KC told them they should be “ashamed” of watching back.
