Two NUFC fans have had their football banning orders lifted after being involved in a disturbance which had nothing to do with the sport.
Andrew Ferrell, 39, who played for the Newcastle United youth team, and Liam Webster, 39, were both handed three year football banning orders by magistrates after they were involved in disorder before Newcastle United's game against Chelsea on November 12 last year. A disturbance broke out when a window of the Black and White Bull pub and restaurant was put through, showering Ferrell and Webster in glass as they sat together eating a meal.
After a youngster ran into the pub "screaming for help", the two men went outside and trouble flared - but it only lasted for "seconds". During the incident, no football slogans or chants were heard and the disorder was over and done with by the time police arrived. There were no eyewitnesses and the pub did not make a complaint.
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Ferrell was captured on CCTV leaving the premises and throwing a chair and was later arrested, with Webster later handing himself in to police. Both men accepted they had been involved in the disturbance and that they went too far, but always maintained it had nothing to do with football rivalry.
On Friday, the pair appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to appeal the football banning orders they received at Newcastle Magistrates' Court in March, with a judge finding there was no evidence at all that the disorder was football related.
Joe Hedworth, who was representing both appellants, told the court that former NUFC prospect, Ferrell, from Newburn, organises coaches for Newcastle United's away fixtures and has done so for several years. He said: "He is in regular contact with the police and notifies them of the locations of the coaches and the pubs they will be attending. In that time, there has never been a single incident."
The court heard that Ferrell and Webster were eating a meal at the Black and White Bull around half an hour before kick-off when a bottle was thrown through a window, covering them in shards of glass.
Mr Hedworth said: "A young autistic child, who is known to the appellants, ran in screaming for help. They ran out with a chair and accepted throwing it. Mr Webster picked up the same chair. They were protecting the young man but agree they went over the top.
"People were behaving badly outside and threatening violence towards this young man who was screaming for help. They had gone out to assist. It did not relate to football."
Quashing the football banning orders, Recorder Benjamin Nolan KC, said: "There is no evidence that this violence related to the football match that afternoon. Neither of these gentlemen were heard or seen to make any football related abuse or slogans. Police attended the scene but it was all over upon arrival."
Following the judgement, Ian Wilson, the solicitor acting on behalf of Ferrell and Webster, said Ferrell's name had been "dragged through the mud" following the magistrates' court hearing.
He said: "These men have maintained from the very beginning of this that this was a moment of madness and not something which they were aware was relevant to football. Mr Ferrell has a good working relationship with the club and he's looking forward to getting back to the football."
Speaking to ChronicleLive, Ferrell added: "I don't think I should have got penalised for self-defence. I have never gone to a football match in my life looking for trouble."
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