Protesters charged onto a busy main road and hounded drivers during 'mob' violence which led to a Premier League match being abandoned.
Up to 2,000 fans descended on the stadium ahead of Manchester United's match against Liverpool in May last year in a demonstration against the Glazer family and the proposed European Super League.
The fixture was later abandoned on safety grounds after the peaceful protest turned ugly, with some fans breaking into the stadium, throwing bottles and violently confronting the police. During the melee, one police officer suffered a serious injury to his face after being hit by a bottle.
READ MORE:
Yesterday (November 14), five United supporters were sentenced for their part in the disturbance. Brandon Cowlishaw, 23; Joseph O’Connor, 20; Harry Curtis, 22, Reiss Farrell, 21, and Liam Bentley, 34, earlier pleaded guilty to violent disorder, and were all handed community orders. A total of 40 fans have admitted violent disorder for their part in the large scale disturbance.
In footage played to Manchester Crown Court, each of the defendants were shown joining in with the crowds on May 2 last year at Old Trafford.
Flares were let off and flags displayed as the rally started peacefully, prosecutor David Lees said. But at about 2pm some protestors breached security barriers and tried to force open the gates to the Munich tunnel.
“Cowlishaw was seen throwing a bottle, making masturbation gestures towards the police, and moving to the front of the crowd,” he said.
Some of the crowd then moved onto Chester Road where they stopped traffic by banging on passing car windows and shaking them. Cowlinshaw was seen crowding around a Mini, along with a few dozen others, before banging on it.
The group then moved onto Lidl, where he was one of a group who removed a line of shopping trolleys and swung them towards the main road.
Farrell was seen throwing items at officers and pushing others in an aggressive manner. At one stage he was seen picking up a bottle and throwing it towards the police.
Bentley gestured towards the police and was pushed back by officers. He was then seen to pick up something from the floor before throwing it ‘with force’ at officers.
O’Connor, a uni student, was seen to go into the seated area of the stadium before going back out onto Chester Road where he joined in with crowding around vehicles.
Curtis, who covered his face with a scarf, was seen shouting abuse at police officers and stewards before he also joined with others on Chester Road.
All defendants, except Bentley, had no previous convictions. Bentley was said to have previous convictions for drink-driving from a number of years ago.
Defending Cowlishaw, Edward Steele said his client was ‘very sorry’ and regretted his involvement.
Of O’Connor, Mr Steele said his client threw a bottle and was filmed laughing, but only did so because he was ‘laughing at his pathetic throw’. “His family are shocked and appalled at his conduct at this match,” he said.
And of Bentley, the barrister said he was sorry and that he had a low risk of reoffending.
For Farrell, Mark Pritchard said: “He does understand what he did was wrong. There is genuine remorse. He got caught up in the moment, he didn’t intend to join the protest, he was swept up.”
He added that there was nothing to suggest his client was part of a protest movement.
And for Curtis, Thomas Sherrington said he was ‘part of the crowd’ and didn’t intend to get involved.
“He was caught up in the melodrama that took place. It appears that when groups of people come together in the scenarios, they do things they wouldn’t normally do,” he said.
In sentencing, the Recorder of Manchester, Judge Nicholas Dean KC said: “It’s been said that one of you felt shame and disgust - all of you should feel shame and disgust.
“Maybe your relatives or friends are seeing these images for the first time, seeing that the mob behaved in such a manner that was disgraceful and each of you contributed to that in varying ways.
“All of you are, in effect, of good character. All of you, in normal context, are perfectly decent young men.
“I have no doubt, on this occasion, that you got carried away with the behaviour of others that were involved and you contributed to that behaviour.”
Each of the men were handed a three-year football banning order, meaning they are prohibited from attending matches until 2025.
Cowlishaw, of East Street, Stoke-on-Trent, was handed a two-year community order, 220 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £500 costs.
Farrell, of Eldon Road, Salford, was handed a two year community order, 190 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £500 costs.
Bentley, of Alldis Street, Stockport, was handed a two year community order, 180 hours unpaid work and must pay £500 court costs.
O’Connor, of Saxony Road, Liverpool, was handed a two year community order, 160 hours unpaid work and must pay £500 court costs.
Curtis, of Ermin Street, Swindon, was handed a two year community order, 150 hours unpaid work and must pay £500 court costs.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
