POLICE were today continuing to scour video footage of the violence that marred the Saints and Pompey FA Cup derby in a bid to catch more hooligans.
Their ongoing investigation into the trouble that flared up before and after the game comes after eight football fans appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
Four of them were fined and issued with football banning orders meaning they will not be able to go anywhere near a football ground on match days for three years.
Two others, Ashley Singh, 19, and Nick Singh Digwa, 29, both of Mandela Way, Southampton, received fines after admitting public order offences – a decision the Crown Prosecution Service is considering appealing against as it wants to see the pair receive football banning orders too.
The remaining two defendants pleaded not guilty to public order offences and will stand trial later this year.
Nick Hawkins, chief prosecutor for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Crown Prosecution Service said: “The violence that marred Saturday’s match is not acceptable and we and Hampshire Constabulary have acted quickly to bring those arrested at the game before the courts.
“As a result four men won’t be able to watch their team play or go anywhere near a football ground on match day for three years.
“They will also have to surrender their passports if their team or England are playing abroad.
“We have always been clear that we will prosecute so-called ‘fans’ for offences of violence and disorder and seek football banning orders to keep them away from genuine fans who are entitled to watch their team play in safety.”
Of the remaining three men who were arrested on Saturday, a 45-year-old man from Woolston has been cautioned for being drunk in a sports ground, and two men have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
Police have warned that there could be further arrests resulting from their investigation of the film footage of Saturday’s violence.
They will be focusing particularly on the stand-off that broke out after the match between opposing fans at the Freeborn garage in Britannia Road where supporters were seen taunting each other either side of a wire fence.
Eyewitnesses described bottles, coins, car parts and even a garden chair being thrown between the fans, which damaged cars parked on the garage’s forecourt. Saints fans were also seen trying to tear down the fence.
Mounted police pushed the Saints fans away from the area while police officers formed a barricade opposite, positioning themselves between the fence and Pompey fans waiting to board their coaches by the stadium.
A police spokesman said they had received no formal complaint from Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie and his wife after Saints fans shoved bank notes in their faces.
“You get abuse at football, you have to accept it sometimes, even if it is not very nice, but this was intimidation,” Storrie said.
“It was frightening,my wife was petrified, with people coming right into your face shoving notes into our face – no one should have to put up with that in this day and age.”
Acting Superintendent Alison Scott from Hampshire Constabulary said: “We have jointly taken prompt and positive action with the CPS to deal with those we arrested and charged with causing violence at the weekend.
“It is unfortunate that a small minority of fans caused problems when more than 30,000 were able to enjoy this event for the excellent sporting fixture that it was.”
.What happened to those arrested:
■ Daniel Poskitt, 21, Sholing Road, Southampton: charged with causing harassment, alarm or distress contrary to section 5 of the Public Order Act.
Pleaded guilty, fined £135 and given three-year banning order.
The following defendants were charged with fear or provocation of violence contrary to section 4 of the Public Order Act.
■ Perran Maddern, 18, Dairy Lane, Chichester: pleaded guilty, fined £200 and given three-year banning order.
■ Mark Davis, 37, Nightingale Grove, Southampton: pleaded guilty, fined £350 and given three-year banning order.
■ David Michael Guy, 44, Beverley Gardens, Bursledon: pleaded guilty, fined £367 and given three-year banning order.
■ Ashley Singh, 19, Mandela Way, Southampton: pleaded guilty, fined £100.
■ Nick Singh Digwa, 29, Mandela Way, Southampton: pleaded guilty, fined £150.
■ Joseph Stephen Reeve, 20, Heath Close, Waterlooville: pleaded not guilty – trial fixed for June 16.
■ Allan Michael Taylor, 30, Milton Road, Southampton: pleaded not guilty – trial fixed for June 25.
■ A 45-year-old from Woolston: cautioned for being drunk in a sports ground.
■ A 26-year-old from Portsmouth: released on police bail pending further inquiries.
■ A 21-year-old from Fareham: released on police bail pending further inquiries.
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