This is the face of the thug who attacked Sheffield United star Billy Sharp after Nottingham Forest's dramatic play-off win at the City Ground. Robert Biggs has been jailed for 24 weeks after assaulting Sharp on Tuesday night, May 17, during a pitch invasion.
Biggs, 30, of Church View, Ilkeston, a £50,000-a-year electrical engineer, was also handed a football banning order for 10 years when he appeared in court on Thursday, May 19. Biggs entered the pitch alongside other fans after the Reds won a penalty shootout which decided their two-legged tie with Sheffield United.
Biggs' actions were widely condemned when footage, which was played at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, where he was sentenced, emerged showing what happened. Police quickly launched an appeal in the hope of finding who was responsible and Biggs was arrested shortly afterwards.
Dangerous driver crashed into car as he tried to escape police - read more here.
Rachel Gowans, mitigating, said Biggs has been a Nottingham Forest fan since he was five or six years old, "since he was a child". He has followed the team both home and away and drank with friends at a West Bridgford pub before the match.
Ms Gowans said: "Emotions were high, as you know. The match was won on penalties after Sheffield United took it to extra time." Biggs accepted he should not have gone on to the pitch. Ms Gowan stated his head "collided with the right side of the player's cheek" but stressed it was "not targeted on the player".
She added that he got "carried away" and followed his friends, saying his intention was to get down the tunnel where he had seen three Nottingham Forest players. Biggs pleaded guilty to assault and causing actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison. Biggs has been ordered to pay compensation to Sharp of £500. He is required to pay a victim surcharge of £128 and costs of £85.
Billy Sharp needed stitches after the attack after suffering a cut to the inside of his mouth. He wrote on Twitter after the incident: “One mindless idiot ruined what was an unbelievable night of football.
“Congratulations to Nottingham Forest on their victory and good luck in the final. As an ex Forest player I will not let one scumbag ruin my respect for the Forest fans. Incredibly proud to be captain of this group of Sheffield United players, they gave their all and can hold their heads up high. We will be back and go again. Thanks for all your messages and support after the incident.”
Detective Inspector Paul Lefford, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This was an absolutely shameful end to an otherwise brilliant night of football. This kind of casual thuggery has no place in the game and I hope today’s sentence sends out a very clear warning to others who may be tempted to act in a similar way.
“You will be identified, you will be put before the courts and you may very well end up in prison and you will not be able to watch football for a very long time.”
To read all the biggest and best stories first sign up to read our newsletters here .
