A lifelong Leicester City fan has been locked up and banned from the Foxes game for life after he attacked Nottingham Forest players who were celebrating their third goal during the Reds' 4-1 FA Cup win at the City Ground.
Cameron Toner, 19, of Leicester, pleaded guilty at Nottingham Magistrates' Court to three counts of assault by beating and going onto the pitch during the match between the East Midlands rivals on Sunday, February 6.
As the apprentice carpenter was sentenced, he was given also given a football banning order for 10 years from European and FA matches, a £100 fine for going onto the pitch and four months in custody for the assaults concurrently, of which he will serve half before he is released.
He admitted assaulting Brennan Johnson, who was on the scoresheet during the memorable victory over Brendan Rodgers' side, as well as forward Keinan Davis and star full-back Djed Spence.
District Judge Leo Pyle said Toner, of Station Street, Whetstone, drank four pints and a cocktail of Southern Comfort and vodka before the game at the City Ground.
Toner had been drinking from 11am before the 4pm kick-off.
The judge said Toner jumped the barrier, running from the corner, touching the flag and running down the side of the penalty area.
The judge added: "It was a determined attack on Forest players and, in my view, was cowardly."
The violence was described as an "outrage", added the judge, which could quite easily have evoked major public disorder.
More than 29,000 people behaved themselves, "you didn't", the judge said.
He said he left one player with a headache, which "mercifully passed," and the other two players were not injured.
Marianne Connally, a district crown prosecutor at CPS East Midlands and the area’s lead for football-related offences, said: “Cameron Toner committed an act of unprovoked violence in front of thousands and in doing so left the criminal justice system no option but to prevent him from attending future matches.
“The CPS is determined to play an active part in protecting the vast majority of football supporters who want to attend and enjoy the games.
"We continue to work alongside the police and courts to bring those whose behaviour deteriorates to criminality to justice and will apply for football banning orders to ensure fans who do commit offences at games will not be able to return to games and put the safety and enjoyment of others at risk.”
The CPS is currently working with the police, clubs, player bodies, football authorities to explain how these crimes are prosecuted and what information is needed to pass the charging threshold and build strong cases against fan disorder".
Douglas Mackay, the deputy chief crown prosecutor at CPS West Midlands, the national lead prosecutor for sport, said: “We will not tolerate blatant football fan criminality and stand ready to work with the Police to prosecute such cases.
"There is no place for unauthorised pitch invasions in football and we want the game to be enjoyable for everyone and not have actions that could deter people from attending matches.”
Goals from skipper Joe Worrall, Brennan Johnson, Philip Zinckernagel and Djed Spence capped a pulsating display as Forest knocked out holders Leicester.
Due to the recent success of the Foxes, it was the first time the two East Midlands sides had met in almost eight years.
Before Toner was sentenced, there was a heavy police presence near the court.
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