The Horse Puncher Gets Put Behind Bars!

24 October 2013 20:16
The Newcastle fan who punched a police horse after United lost to the Mackems last season has been jailed.

Reported last month the man, who was reported to have pleaded "not guilty", wouldn't stand a 'cat in hell's chance' of winning his case.

He was on 'Look North' the Monday after the incident saying he was "an animal lover with three dogs and I feed a fox in the garden", and admitted he hit the horse and was "sorry".

Wasn't that, alone, a plea of guilty?

Barry Rogerson, 45, was charged after trouble flared when Newcastle lost 3-0 at home to Sunderland in April.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that during sustained disorder across the city, Rogerson had remained close to a mounted police line in the city.

He was drunk and began to clap in a horse's face, before squaring up to one of the animals and punching it in the head.

Sentencing Rogerson to 12 months in prison for violent disorder, Judge Paul Sloan QC said: "You attended the football match and by the time it ended you were much the worse for drink.

"You had taken it in conjunction with prescription medicine knowing you should not have done so.

"The crowd surged forward on two occasions and after the first surge you walked amongst the horses clapping your hands in excitement or pleasure at the events.

"Someone tried to pull you away but you pushed him away.

"A horse started to move towards you and you were told to move back, you had plenty of opportunities to move away.

"You stood your ground and attacked the horse by punching it in the head.

"There was a risk of serious injury, the officer could easily have been thrown from the horse and could have sustained serious injury."

Rogerson, of Hartlands, Bedlington, Northumberland, was also banned from attending any football matches in the UK for six years.

He was photographed with a scarf over his face punching Bud, a horse working for West Yorkshire Police.

Sentencing a number of other offenders too, Judge Sloan said: "When offences of this kind are committed by large groups, sentence should include an element of deterrent so those who may be tempted to take part in sustained public disorder know that a significant sentence will be imposed."

 

Source: Newcastle United Mad

Source: FOOTYMAD