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Court report from Burton
Below is a report from the Burton Mail on the court proceedings after trouble at Burton football ground last autumn.
A dozen soccer hooligans who caused "mayhem" at a Burton Albion match have been caged for a total of 13 years.
The thugs, some of whom were in their 40s, were sentenced to between nine months and two years yesterday for what Judge Paul Glenn labelled "a significant episode of public disorder".
"Football authorities have done a great deal to prevent offences of this type, but unfortunately some people do not get the message that football violence will not be tolerated," said the judge.
The violence erupted at Burton Albion's Eton Park stadium after Hereford United fans stormed the home supporters terraces, Stafford Crown Court heard.
Stephen Thomas, prosecuting, said a line of stewards trying to keep the thugs at bay was over-run and parents with children fled for safety as the fighting broke out.
One Burton fan, James Goldsmith, was punched and attacked by around a dozen Hereford fans and another man was kicked as he lay on the pitch.
Burton fans in the stand made 999 calls to the police on their mobile phones. Mr Thomas said the Conference game had no police presence, only stewards.
The whole incident was captured on video tape, which was played back to the court.
The trouble began during half-time of the Nationwide Conference match in September last year, when Hereford were trailing 2-0 after having had a goal disallowed.
Hereford fans began clambering on security fencing separating them from a "no go" area and the Burton supporters beyond.
To shouts of "let's get the bastards", "a group of around 40 Hereford fans, intent on trouble, climbed over the fence, over-running the line of stewards and charged towards other supporters," Mr Thomas said.
"Some Burton fans fled in panic, shouting and screaming. There was nowhere to run to as far as the Burton Albion fans were concerned. Children and pensioners were boxed in with this group running towards them. Some parents had to put their children onto the pitch, out of harm's way. Parents were seen shielding their children from what was going on.
"The group, the Crown say, were creating mayhem in that particular terrace."
Even after the first breach, the violence did not end. "Stewards managed to shove the Hereford fans back, but some of them came back across the pitch and attacked the Burton supporters. That was a more determined attack, worse than the first," said Mr Thomas.
It was during this second wave that Mr Goldsmith was assaulted.
"Some Burton fans were so worried they began telephoning police on mobile phones, telling them what was happening."
Eventually the violence died down and the stewards were able to push the Hereford fans back. The match, which had been held up because of the disorder, was then able to resume.