Source: Northern_Echo
Two fans banned over Darlington v Newcastle pitch invasion
TWO fans have been banned from attending football matches for three years after a friendly match descended into chaos following a pitch invasion.[LNB] Kane Hutchison, 22, and Anthony Logan, 21, appeared separately at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday.[LNB] Both men pleaded guilty to running onto the pitch in the middle of the game between Darlington and Newcastle on July 15, with Hutchison admitting a further charge of causing distress to other fans and Logan pleading guilty to being drunk and disorderly.[LNB] Yesterday, Blair Martin, prosecuting, said: Mr Hutchison ran onto the pitch and aimed a few punches and kicks at other males, but failed to connect.[LNB] Mr Martin said that Logan, of Campbell Place, Newcastle, ran on to the pitch and appeared very unstable because he was stumbling around.[LNB] In the opinion of the arresting officer, he was very drunk.[LNB] He has two other convictions for football-related incidents and I would ask the magistrates to consider a banning order, added Mr Martin.[LNB] Mitigating for Hutchison, of Field House Road, Gateshead, Kashif Khan said he had been a life-long follower of Newcastle, who had harboured aspirations to play for the club.[LNB] He played in the same football team as Andy Carroll as a young man and it was only a knee injury that put an end to his ambitions of being a footballer.[LNB] He has spent time in America coaching young kids and has a real love for the game.[LNB] He was not part of a big group which went to the football match to cause trouble, he was sat at the back and got carried away celebrating the result. He threw a kick not aimed at anybody, more in a celebratory manner much in the same way as people raise a fist in celebration.[LNB] Kathy Wilson, representing Logan, said he recognised a banning order was imminent, but should get credit for his early guilty plea.[LNB] Mr Logan is not a travelling hooligan. He is a young man who has followed Newcastle all his life, added Miss Wilson.[LNB] He got carried away and ran on to the pitch unaware of the specific offence he was committing, although he did know it was wrong.[LNB] Both men were ordered to pay £100 costs each and Hutchison was fined £200. Logan was ordered to pay an extra £165 in fines.[LNB] A further 12 arrests are expected over the coming weeks as work between the police and football clubs to root out those responsible for the disorder at the game continues.[LNB] Chief Inspector Chris Reeve said: We have already identified a number of people responsible and are continuing to trace the others.[LNB] We anticipate making a number of arrests and will continue tracking down the irresponsible minority who ruin games for the responsible majority.[LNB]
