Court issues football bans after disorder ahead of Notts County v Coventry City game

Two people have been banned from attending football matches for three years after being involved in a public disorder which resulted in a police officer suffering a broken finger.
The punishments were dished out by magistrates in Nottingham.The punishments were dished out by magistrates in Nottingham.
The punishments were dished out by magistrates in Nottingham.

Another has also been given a six-month conditional discharge and an arrest warrant was issued by the court for a fourth man from Mansfield who failed to appear in connection with the incident.

Officers were called to the South Bank pub at Trent Bridge at around 2pm on Saturday, April 7, following reports of a number of football fans causing a disturbance ahead of the Notts County v Coventry City league fixture.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pushed one police officer and broke another officer's finger in a struggle.

He admitted assaulting a police officer and was given a three-year football banning order and a youth referral order for six months when he appeared at Nottingham magistrates' court.

Twenty-year-old Corey Ainsbury, of Amos Jacques Road, Bedworth, Warwickshire, admitted using threatening behaviour after throwing glasses and was also given a three-year football banning order and ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and a 12-month rehabilitation order with supervision.

Gareth Oatridge, 45, of Bantam Road, Coventry, was given a six-month conditional discharge after pleading guilty to police obstruction.

Callum Whinmill, 30, of Westfield Lane, Mansfield, was also charged with using threatening behaviour in connection with the incident but failed to appear at court so magistrates issued a warrant for his arrest.

PC Jon Lingard, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Most fans on the day enjoyed themselves and had a good day out but unfortunately a small minority tried to spoil it for everyone else by becoming disorderly.

"Officers attended the incident to help keep people safe and allow them to continue having a good time but sadly they were confronted by threats and violence from a small group.

"There is never any excuse for public disorder and when it results in police officers being injured whilst trying to keep people safe it is completely unacceptable.

"Hopefully the convictions and sentences will act as a warning to others that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour."