Three men have been slapped with three-year football banning orders for their roles in a large-scale disturbance at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium following a protest against the club's ownership by the Glazer family.
The ugly scenes, which saw the ground breached and protestors run onto the pitch, led to the abandonment of the Liverpool game on May 2 last year during Covid regulations.
A court heard an 'organised demonstration' took place after the now-axed European Super League plans were announced. As many as 2,000 Manchester United fans gathered at the ground with another protest held outside the Lowry Hotel in Salford, where the team was staying.
READ MORE: Ugly scenes outside Old Trafford as Manchester United fans turn violent
David Lees, prosecuting at Manchester Crown Court, said 'drinking fuelled aggression' at Old Trafford, with violence directed towards the police and stewards. Bottles and other objects were thrown, said Mr Lees, and security barriers were knocked down outside the ground at 2pm.
Gates to the ground itself were then breached in two separate places on two occasions, allowing a 'substantial number of people access to the pitch area', the court was told. Stewards were assaulted, police attacked and inside the ground on the pitch, footballs and corner flags were stolen.
A £63,000 Sky TV camera was also tipped over and damaged and a lit flare thrown towards the broadcaster's punditry team inside the stadium.
Louis Rafferty, 25, of Fairview Road, Denton, Tameside; Michael Cusker, 30, of Welwyn Walk, Manchester; Matthew Connor, 21, of Heron Drive, Irlam, Salford and Henry Garside, 24, formerly of Warrington, appeared in court to be sentenced on Monday. They all admitted violent disorder. Garside also pleaded guilty to burglary of a corner flag.
CCTV footage of the disorder was shown in court. Connor, the court heard, 'only briefly appears in the footage'. Mr Lees said he hurled an empty can of beer towards police officers outside the ground. Garside, meanwhile, forced his way through temporary barriers and was seen 'shouting and gesticulating aggressively'.
The court heard he was shown on CCTV walking towards the Munich Tunnel Gate, before kicking it and jumping over it. He went on to access the pitch and took a corner flag - the CCTV showed him running across the pitch to take hold of it before leaving the stadium with it.
Cusker was shown kicking the barriers outside before shaking and climbing over the Munich Tunnel Gate and walking down concourse steps onto the pitch.
Rafferty, the court heard, kicked open a door to the stadium after the gate had been breached. Carrying a blue plastic bag and drinking from a can, he was seen in the footage jumping over seats and rolling over their coverings. He also kicked a ball while on the pitch.
The court heard all four later showed remorse and regret for their actions.
Judge Nicholas Dean KC, the Recorder of Manchester, said they should all feel 'a sense of shame'.
He told them: "You were part of a mob and behaved in ways that collectively meant the stewards and others who were on duty felt terrified. It is a day that I hope that you do not forget.
"It should be a day that should be etched on your minds as the lowest point in your lives. You played a part in mob behaviour."
All four were sentenced to two-year community orders - Connor with 100 hours of unpaid work, Garside with 150 hours, Cusker with 180 and Rafferty with 140. All but Cusker were also told to pay £500 in costs.
Judge Dean sanctioned three-year football banning orders on all but Cusker, who the court heard already has one in place.
The court heard some 40 defendants have already pleaded guilty to charges arising from the incident. Further sentencing hearings are expected.
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