Roma4

Supportere løslatt

2008-05-05T13:38:00.002+01:00

English summary below the article.

Skrevet den 5.05.2008
Skrevet av Lars Morten Olsen

Etter iherdig innsats fra venner, familie og MUST har fire United-supportere endelig blitt løslatt. De fire har sittet i fengsel i Roma siden desember.

United.no har fra pålitelig kilder fått vite at de fire ble arrestert uten grunn, og deretter narret til å si seg selv skyldige i anklagelser, i håp om å slippe ut.

I stedet ble de dømt til to og et halvt års ubetinget fengsel. Kyle Dillon (24), Richard Wimmer (39), Nicholas Lucaks (18) og Michael Burke (35) slapp søndag imidlertid ut av fengsel. De ble imidlertid rådet til å akseptere tiltalen "motverge til arrestasjon", noe som ga 16 måneders betinget fengsel.

De fire mener de ble arrestert for at politiet ville statuere et eksempel, og deretter ble de nektet legal juridisk hjelp. Arrestasjonen skjedde før kampen mot Roma 12. desember.

Ps: Bildet er illustrasjonsfoto, og er hentet fra kampen i Roma i april i fjor.

English summary:

Following an intense campaign from from friends, family and MUST - the four United supporters have finally been released. They've been in prison in Roma since December. United.no has, from reliable sources, been informed that they were arrested without any just reason - and that they were tricked into pleading guilty, in the hope they wouldn't be handed custodial sentences.

[details of the sentences received at the first hearing, 2.5 years etc]

At the hearing on Friday they pleaded guilty to a charge of "resisting arrest" in exchange for a 16 month (deferred) sentence.

Fans jailed in Roma return

2008-05-05T11:03:00.000+01:00

5/ 5/2008

FOUR Manchester United fans who were freed from Italian prisons have revealed how they were backed by the notorious Roma Ultras in their campaign to be released.

The Reds supporters flew back to England at the weekend after spending nearly six months in Italian prisons.

They were locked up in December after being arrested on the day of a United game against Roma. Sentenced to two and a half years they were only freed after agreeing to plead guilty to assault and resisting arrest instead of appealing against their convictions.

While being kept at four different prisons they received letters of support from the infamous hard core Roma fans. The Ultras also unfurled a flag saying ‘Freedom for the Roma 4’ at a league game in Italy.

Kyle Dillon, Michael Burke, Nicholas Lucas, and Richard Wimmer were arrested after they were allegedly caught up in violence with Italian fans on the Duca d’Aosta bridge near Stadio Olympico.

Parliament

But as they returned to their families the men insisted they were innocent. Michael Burke, 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, whose case was debated in Parliament by his MP Barbara Keeley, had his birthday while in prison in December.

He said: “I am pleased to be back but still very aggrieved at spending six months in custody.

“I walked to the stadium with a group of lads. There was some trouble down the street and I turned away from it. I ran into some tear gas then a police officer hit me on the back of the head with a truncheon. I fell on the ground and was kicked by police.

“I feel disgusted that I have had to plead guilty. But the process was going on that long and we were being told so many lies I wanted to get back to my family.

“It has put me off travelling to Italy to watch United. I have been to ten to fifteen countries previously for games and never had any trouble.

“The first prison we were in we treated like dogs. We were locked up 23 hours a day, had half an hours exercise, and a shower once every two days.

Legal advice

“We had no proper legal advice whatsoever. I didn’t know what I was supposed to have done until I got to court. “I do intend to take this further to try and clear my name and will be contacting a solicitor.”

He was met on his release by, partner, Carmon Ducker, who has campaigned for him to freed.

Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, near Hyde, was greeted by family and friends with banners as he arrived at John Lennon Airport in Liverpool.

He joked: “I’ve never been happier to be in Liverpool. I am not guilty, but if it had gone to trial it would have dragged on even longer.” His girlfriend Stacy Swann said: “It is brilliant to have him back home – now we can open Christmas and birthday presents. I went over to Italy 13 times to see him and couldn’t handle anymore having to leave him – it broke our hearts.”

Kyle’s mother, Janet, who mounted a high-profile campaign to get the four free, said: “The Italians wanted a result. They knew that if the lads had got off scot-free we would have sued them for wrongful arrest and they didn’t want egg on their faces. “It’s not over we will see what can be done to clear Kyle’s name.”

Jailed soccer fans freed from Italian jail

2008-05-03T10:00:00.000+01:00

By Staff Reporter

FOUR Manchester United football fans have been released from an Italian jail after an appeal hearing in Rome.

Among them was Michael Burk, aged 35, from Little Hulton, who was sentenced to two years and five months in prison last December following fights between rival supporters before the Champions League game with Roma.

He had been jailed for violent behaviour and resisting arrest, along with three other United fans: Kyle Dillon, aged 23, Richard Wimmer, aged 39, and Nicholas Lucas, aged 18.

All four were freed at an appeal hearing yesterday after being presented with a deal by the public prosecutor.

They each pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and accepted 16-month suspended sentences in return for immediate release and having two other charges dropped.

Mr Burk's family and friends had been campaigning for his release with the support of Worsley MP Barbara Keeley.

Ms Keeley said: "I have campaigned on this issue since I found out all the problems with the representation and trial process of Michael Burk. I felt it was a wrongful conviction.

"I am pleased that my constituent has now received a fair hearing and has won back his freedom."

The MP had been concerned about the shortened trial procedure following the fans' arrest and the lack of a court interpreter for Mr Burk.

She recently raised the case in the Commons with the Europe Minister, Jim Murphy.

Mr Burk's partner, Carmon Ducker, had lobbied MPs during a trip to London last month. His fiancee had also written to football celebrities to enlist their help.

Italian media claimed the four men had been part of a group of 20 United supporters who had caused trouble in Rome that night.

Fighting was broken up with two baton charges by riot police. Five United fans were stabbed during the incident.

Greater Manchester Police had provided "spotters" to work with Italian police outside the Stadio Olimpico, but there were conflicting reports as to whether they had correctly identified the four men as troublemakers.

Jailed Man United fans freed after winning appeal in Rome

2008-05-03T09:57:00.002+01:00

· Sentences were reduced and then suspended
· Supporters claim the four men were set up by police

* Tom Kington in Rome
* The Guardian,
* Saturday May 3 2008

Four Manchester United fans locked up in Italian jails since December walked free yesterday, after winning an appeal to get charges for fighting with Rome police reduced and their sentences cut.

Friends and relatives of the men celebrated outside a Rome court after the decision, claiming the four had been set up by police to make an example of them, and that they had been beaten by officers and denied access to proper legal assistance.

"I am absolutely elated," said Janet Dillon, whose son Kyle, 24, was originally sentenced to two years and five months for clashing with police and local fans outside Rome's Olympic stadium on December 12, ahead of Manchester United's Champions League match with Roma.

Fellow fan Richard Wimmer, 39, received the same sentence, while Nicholas Lukacs, 18 and Michael Burke, 35, received two years and four months.

Yesterday the sentences were reduced to 16 months, allowing the release of the four on suspended sentences. Defence lawyer Roberta Ceschini said she had not seen the judge's ruling, but that it was likely two charges of violence had been dropped.

At the hearing, the men pleaded guilty to resisting arrest, but relatives claimed they were innocent. "We were advised to accept this verdict in order to get the boys home immediately," said Lukacs's sister Katerina. Seeking to overturn all charges would have led to a longer trial, said Ceschini.

Janet Dillon, whose son is registered as partially sighted, said she would now seek to overturn the remaining charge.

Lukacs's mother, Anne, said her son, now saddled with a criminal record, would be unable to return to his job at a law firm.

"There is no such word as justice here," said Carmon Ducker, Burke's girlfriend.

On December 12, the four fans ignored advice from Manchester United to board a laid-on bus that would have taken them into the Olympic stadium, preferring to catch a city bus which left them on the Duca D'Aosta bridge nearby. "The fan buses were arriving four to five hours before the game and they were concerned about what had happened inside the stadium at the previous match," said Janet Dillon.

Manchester fans were baton charged in the stands in April 2007 by police.

At their trial, the four were accused of throwing objects and clashing with Roma fans and police on the bridge, but Ceschini said that charge had now weakened.

"The men would have been difficult to identify at the scene and the evidence against them appeared inconsistent," she said.

Relatives said that the four had also been persuaded to face a rapid trial with limited evidence in December. "Thanks to poor translators they were under the impression they would sign and go home," said Anne Lukacs.

"They were made into scapegoats," said Janet Dillon.

The sentence appears to have worked as a warning. One fan who returned to Rome in April for Manchester's subsequent Champions League game said few supporters were prepared "to walk the bridge" to get to the stadium.

When Janet Dillon saw her son in prison on Christmas Eve, he was still bruised from being headbutted and coshed in the groin by police, she claimed. "We got tea and sympathy from the British embassy," said Dillon, adding that the Manchester United manager ,Sir Alex Ferguson, had written to say there was nothing he could do to help. "I will never go to Old Trafford again," she said.

Unlikely support came from Roma fans, who waved a banner reading "Freedom for the Roma 4" at last month's match against Manchester Utd. A relative of Dillon added that fellow prisoners had been "great," even lending Dillon clothes when he was prevented from receiving his own from his family.

Judge frees 'Roma Four' on appeal

2008-05-03T09:56:00.000+01:00

our Manchester United fans sentenced to more than two years in prison in Italy have been released on appeal.

Richard Wimmer, Michael Buerk, Kyle Dillon and Nicholas Lucas were jailed in December for their part in a fight with Roma fans after a match.

At a hearing in Italy they pleaded guilty to resisting arrest, in return for early release.

Kyle Dillon's mother, Janet, said the families were relieved and now just wanted to get them home.

Kyle Dillon, 23, Richard Wimmer, 39, Nicholas Lucas, 18 and Michael Burk, 35, all from Greater Manchester, were jailed in December over the fight prior to a Champions League tie.

They were all charged with violent behaviour and resisting arrest.

Their families had previously said they only admitted the charges because they did not understand their interpreter.

Police said the four were part of a group of Manchester United supporters travelling to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 12 December but became separated and clashed with rival fans.

Roma Red is released

2008-05-02T09:55:00.000+01:00

Adam Derbyshire
2/ 5/2008

FOOTBALL fan Kyle Dillon has been freed from prison in Italy after an appeal judge agreed to his release.

The partially-sighted Manchester United fan has been behind bars in Italy since December after becoming embroiled in skirmishes outside the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Three other supporters also convicted of football violence alongside him have also been released.

At a hearing in Italy today (Friday), the men were told to plead guilty in return for an early release. After discussing the matter with their solicitor, it was decided it was the only option to secure their freedom.

Families of the ‘Roma 4’ have always insisted they were duped into signing a confession by a solicitor who attempted to plea-bargain a sentence.

The plan failed and the fans — Kyle, 24, Michael Burk, 35, Richard Wimmer, 39, and Nicholas Lukacs, 19 — were each jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Kyle, of Mottram, has always maintained his innocence claiming he was baton charged by police as he attempted to avoid the trouble.

Mum Janet and stepdad John, of Home Farm Avenue, Broadbottom along with girlfriend Stacey Swann were in Rome to watch proceedings unfold.

The family are said to be ‘elated’ and Kyle will fly home tomorrow.

But, as it stands, the caveat is that Kyle will still have a criminal record. But the family are expected to take legal action at a later date in a bid to quash the conviction.

Roma Reds released

2008-05-02T09:53:00.000+01:00

Deborah Haile
2/ 5/2008

FOUR Manchester United fans - jailed after they were arrested on the day of a Reds' match against Roma - have been freed.

Kyle Dillon, Michael Burk, Nicholas Lucas and Richard Wimmer were jailed in Italy in December.

The four men were alleged to have been caught up in violence involving Roma's infamous Ultras on the Duca d'Aosta bridge, near the Stadio Olympico.

And they were sentenced to serve up to two-years and six months, after an abbreviated trial procedure, which was conducted in Italian.

But families and friends of the supporters have continued to protest their innocence.

And earlier today the four men were freed after changing their plea to guilty in a court in Italy.

Worsley MP Barbara Keeley, who has been fighting for the release of constituent Michael Burk, has welcomed the court's decision.

She said: "I have campaigned on this issue since I found out all the problems with the representation and trial process of Michael Burk. I felt it was a wrongful conviction.

"I recently held a debate about the case at Westminster with the Europe Minister, Jim Murphy. The debate helped to publicise the fact that there had been many flaws up to and including the trial of the four Manchester United fans.

"Following this and all the publicity around the case, I am pleased that my constituent has now received a fair hearing and has won back his freedom.

"His family will be delighted to have him home.

"I would like to thank the Manchester Evening News for the excellent coverage given to this case.

"I am sure that MENs reporting was an important factor in turning this case around and bringing justice to the four Manchester United fans."

Michael Burk, 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, and Nicholas Lucas, 18, had been facing jail sentences of two years and five months.

Partially-sighted Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, and Richard Wimmer, 39 , had been facing sentences of two years and six months.

Badges

2008-04-01T14:30:00.000+01:00

"Support the Roma4" badges are available to buy from the Reds4Reds website.

Free 'wrongly jailed' fan

2008-04-01T13:45:00.000+01:00

Neal Keeling
1/ 4/2008

THE case of a Manchester United fan jailed in Italy is to be debated in Parliament.

Michael Burk, of Little Hulton, Salford, was one of four United supporters jailed after being arrested in December.

MP Barbara Keeley will tomorrow call for the release of supporters imprisoned after United and Roma fans clashed.

The four were caught up in violence with Roma's infamous Ultras on the Ponte Duca D'Aosta Bridge - a gathering point for Italian fans which visiting supporters had been asked to avoid.

Mr Burk, 35, a builder, was sentenced to two years and five months of which he has now served three months.

At his trial he was found guilty of violent behaviour and resisting arrest.

He is due to appeal against his sentence and conviction next month and his MP, Mrs Keeley, is pushing to secure his release. She will have a 30 minute debate in the House of Commons on Mr Burk's trial.

Families of all four of the jailed fans will visit Westminster to talk to their MPs.

Mr Burk denies being involved with the violence and claims he and other fans were beaten by Italian police during the clashes.

Worsley MP Mrs Keeley said problems with the trial process `could have led to a wrongful conviction'.

She said: "I am deeply concerned about the lack of translation and interpretation in his trial and the evidence-gathering before the trial.

"The court-allocated lawyer did not speak English and there was no effective interpretation either before or during the court hearing. Mr Burke did not even know until the second court hearing what the charges against him were, and statements and court papers were not translated either."

Mr Burk's trial was held under an `abbreviated procedure', which meant only written statements were submitted and the defendants could not speak or call witnesses.

Mrs Keeley said: "All of this falls far short of the standards of justice we expect in a court in an EU country. The right to a competent interpreter for anyone who does not understand the language being used in a court is usually considered a fundamental rule of justice.

"I am raising these matters in Parliament as I am keen to see the case against Mr Burke overturned on appeal and I hope the government can help to make sure that my constituent receives a fair hearing."

The other fans included partially-sighted Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, Hyde, jailed for two years and six months for assault and resisting arrest.

Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Richard Wimmer, 39, were both also given two years and six months.

United play Roma again tonight in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Fans have been warned to stay away from potential trouble spots in the Italian capital.

In a letter published on United's website fans are told not to take metro trains to the Piazza Flaminio and stay away from Campo De Fiori, another meeting point for Roma fans.

Jailed fan's mum in 'stay at home' plea

2008-03-31T13:59:00.000+01:00

Adam Derbyshire
31/ 3/2008

THE mum of a Manchester United fan jailed for fighting in Rome has pleaded with other supporters to stay away from the Italian capital tomorrow night (Tuesday).

The Reds will be playing their fifth Champions League match against Roma in little over a year, and previous clashes have been marred by violence.

Kyle Dillon was one of four English fans imprisoned last December after fights broke out between rival supporters when United visited Roma for a group stage match. His mother Janet urged United supporters should not to go to Tuesday's game because British police could not guarantee their safety.

And she said that any trouble might have a detrimental effect on a legal appeal scheduled for May 2, which could see 23-year-old Kyle, Richard Wimmer, 39, Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, released.

Mrs Dillon, from Mottram, near Hyde, said: "Don't go to the game, it isn't safe. Our police cannot protect you and the Italian police will not protect you because they are part of the problem.

"If you do have to go to the game, stay out of trouble. Because of the proximity of the two games to the appeal date, any trouble could have an effect on the outcome of the appeal."

The four were part of a group which broke from other fans on their way to the ground and became embroiled in clashes with Roma's notorious `Ultras' at the Duca d'Aosta bridge.

Three United fans were stabbed outside Roma's ground last April, when the two clubs also met at the quarter-final stage. There were violent scenes inside the Stadio Olimpico, and scuffles erupted outside Old Trafford during the second leg a week later, with 21 people arrested.

Greater Manchester Police have urged fans to be on their best behaviour. Transport to and from the ground has been arranged for United supporters, to head off trouble on the bridge.

And police say anyone choosing to make their own way to the stadium - or planning to buy tickets from touts - could put themselves in danger.

MP's bid to free jailed Reds

2008-03-21T14:03:00.001Z

Neal Keeling
21/ 3/2008

AN MP is stepping up the campaign to get a Manchester United fan released from jail in Italy.

Michael Burk, of Little Hulton, Salford, is one of four Reds fans imprisoned there.

Mr Burk is due to appeal against his sentence and conviction in May and his MP, Barbara Keeley, is pushing to secure his release.

She said she is `very concerned' about his treatment by the Italian legal system.

The four fans were arrested in December after being caught up in violent clashes before a Champions League game between Manchester United and Roma.

Mr Burk, 35, a builder, was sentenced to two years and five months of which he has now served three months.

At his trial he was found guilty of violent behaviour and resisting arrest.

Mr Burk denies being involved with the violence and he claims that he and other fans were beaten by Italian police during the clashes.

Mrs Keeley said: "It has become clear to me that the men were unfairly represented during their trial as they didn't understand a word of the proceedings. During the first hearing Mr Burk did not even know what the charges against him were.

"The court should have provided an English speaking lawyer or a translator and there was a serious lack of adequate language translation throughout the process. The solicitor appointed by the court was not interested in what the defendants were saying and he seems to have advised them badly.

"It seems there has been a miscarriage of justice and, if there has, I would like to see Mr Burk's conviction overturned."

Mr Burk's appeal hearing is scheduled for May 2. Next month, Manchester United are due to play Roma once again in the quarter finals of the Champions League.

Mrs Keeley hopes that by raising the profile of Michael Burk's case, the freedom of Michael and of the other three fans can be secured.

The other fans included partially sighted Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, Hyde, who was sentenced to two years and six months after facing charges of assault and resisting arrest, which he denies.

The two other fans are Nicholas Lucas, 18, who received an identical sentence and Richard Wimmer, 39, who was given two years and six months.

Further information on the fans and how to show support for them is available on the website, reds4reds.co.uk

MP expressed concerns over Italian treatment of United fan

2008-03-21T14:01:00.000Z

By Saiqa Chaudhari

AN MP has expressed concerns about the treatment of a Manchester United fan imprisoned in Italy.

Worsley MP Barbara Keeley has called into question the trial of her constituent Michael Burk.

He was arrested after being caught in violent clashes before a Champions League game between Manchester United and Roma in December.
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The 35-year-old builder from Little Hulton was sentenced to two years and five months after being found guilty of violent behaviour and resisting arrest. He has now served three months. He is one for four fans serving a prison sentence.

Mr Burk denies the changes and is due to appeal against his sentence and conviction in May.

Mrs Keeley said she felt that the conviction was unsafe.

She said: "They didn't understand a word of the proceedings. During the first hearing Mr Burk did not even know what the charges against him were.

"The court should have provided an English lawyer or a translator and there was a serious lack of adequate language translation throughout the whole process.

"The solicitor appointed by the court was not interested in what the defendants were saying and he seems to have advised them badly .

"It seems there has a been a miscarriage of justice and if there has, I would like to see Mr Burk's conviction overturned.

The other fans are Kyle Dillon, aged 23 from Mottram, Hyde, who received two years and six months; Nicholas Lucas, aged 18, who was given the same sentence and Richard Wimmer, aged 39, who was given two years and six months.

Change of prison for Kyle

2008-03-02T13:57:00.001Z

Address box on the right has been updated.

Roma4 email group

2008-01-27T13:44:00.000Z

We had a meeting last night with the families of Nick, Kyle and Stacey and agreed we'd set up an email group for ALL supporters of the campaign to allow exchange of ideas and as a source of volunteers for actions/events etc. The idea is to build as large an email communication database as possible so that we can get as many supporters as possible to get involved - whether it is ideas, donations and obviously all families should be signed up if possible: The best place to do this is as a web member (additional options available) here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/roma4

Alternatively for email only subscription just send a blank email to: roma4-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Police 'can clear' jailed Reds fan

2008-01-21T16:46:00.000Z

Deborah Haile
21/ 1/2008

THE mother of a United supporter jailed in Italy after fighting between rival fans wants Manchester police to help prove he is innocent.

Partially-sighted Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, is serving a two-and-a-half year sentence in an Italian prison.

He was one of four men held by police in Rome after skirmishes between United and Roma fans in December.

Kyle was found guilty of violent behaviour and resisting arrest, but his family, and girlfriend Stacey Swann, say evidence heard by the court wrongly suggested Kyle was `known' to Greater Manchester Police as a travelling troublemaker.

Janet says GMP officers told her that Kyle was `known' to police as a fan and not a troublemaker. She believes the Italian judicial system may have misinterpreted information.

But she says GMP have not yet put anything in writing that could be used at her son's appeal, which starts next month.

Janet said: "My son has never been in trouble with the police and they have told me that all they said was that he is a Manchester United fan.

"But when I asked for that in writing they said that any evidence that they may or may not have given to the Italian police is confidential. I am just disgusted with them."

Greater Manchester Police say it remains a matter for the Italians.

Three other supporters, including Michael Burk, 35, from Little Hulton, Salford were jailed. All four will appeal. Their next stage of their hearing is expected to be on February 23.

Jailed fans to question evidence

2008-01-11T16:47:00.000Z

Deborah Haile
11/ 1/2008

FOUR Manchester United fans jailed in Italy for their part in a fight are to lodge an appeal against their convictions today.

Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, Michael Burk, 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Richard Wimmer, 39, were jailed by an Italian court last month.

The four had found themselves in the middle of skirmishes on the Duca d'Aosta Bridge, near the Stadio Olimpico - a hang-out for Roma's hard-line supporters known as the Ultras - before the Reds' match against the Italian side on December 12.

The court found them guilty of violent behaviour and of resisting arrest. Kyle, who is partially sighted, was jailed for two-and-a-half years along with Richard. Michael and Nicholas were sentenced to two years and five months.

Italian media reports at the time suggested the four had been part of a group of about 60 supporters that broke away from an escort and made their own way to the stadium before hitting trouble. And there had been suggestions that the four were known to police in England.

But the men and their families maintain their innocence and will lodge an appeal with the Italian courts.

This will allow them to question the evidence.

Kyle's mum Janet says the appeal can only question evidence that was presented to the court in the initial hearing.

That's because his first solicitor opted for an `abbreviated trial', which doesn't allow for defendants to offer any evidence of their own and limits the scope of their appeal. As a result, Janet says the appeal is expected to question claims by the Italian police that they had not used tear gas and that they had resisted arrest.

She says they will also seek the support of Greater Manchester Police to quash claims that the four were known to police.

She says it could be months for the process to be complete. But, ultimately, she believes Kyle will be cleared.

Janet, who has just returned from a trip to the Regina Coeli prison with the families of the three other men, said: "Kyle has told me everything that happened and I know that he is not lying.

"He is a strong lad. I can see he is really sad, but he is trying to be strong for us. He's worried about all of us at home."

Kyle suffers from an inherited condition called Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy, resulting in only partial vision in each eye.

Two years ago Kyle was featured in the M.E.N. after winning Individual of the Year from the Manchester Employer Coalition, after he successfully qualified as a gas engineer.

Anger as Reds fan is jailed in Rome

2008-01-02T09:54:00.000Z

Source: Tameside Advertiser

2/ 1/2008

THE family of a Manchester United supporter jailed in Italy for his part in a fight against Roma fans have vowed to fight to overturn the court’s decision.

Kyle Dillon, 23, who is partially blind, was arrested by Italian police after skirmishes broke out before the recent game in Rome.

He was one of four supporters accused of violent behaviour and resisting arrest.

A court sentenced Kyle (pictured), of Hyde, to two years six months in jail.

At the same hearing Michael Burk, 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, and Nicholas Lucas, 18, were jailed for two years and five months. Richard Wimmer, 39, was given a sentence of two years and six months.

Kyle’s family — who collected character references and medical reports for the court — are shocked and say they are determined to do all they can to overturn the decision at appeal.

Kyle’s girlfriend Stacey, who was due to fly to Italy, said: "They are saying he was part of an organised gang, but that isn’t true. Kyle has never been in any trouble — he’s a brilliant person."

Dad John said the strain of prison life was taking its toll on Kyle.

He said: "He is a strong lad with a strong character, but he doesn’t seem to be coping too well."

The four men were due to appear in court again on Monday where an appeals tribunal could suspend their sentences and release them.

For the families of those arrested in Italy

2007-12-29T11:47:00.000Z

IMUSA

Michael Burk, Kyle Dillon, Nicholas Lukacs and Richard Wimmer remain in jail for the time being.

IMUSA has good contacts in Italy and practical help is available to any of the families involved if they want to get in touch.

comms@imusa.org

Jailed fans 'treated like animals'

2007-12-29T08:41:00.000Z

Manchester Evening News

Don Frame
29/12/2007

FAMILIES of four Manchester United fans jailed for more than two years in Italy say they are being treated like animals in prison.

The men, who denied violent behaviour and resisting arrest before United's game against Roma earlier this month, have to remain behind bars until their appeals are heard - which could be up to six months away.

Families flew out to the Rome jail before Christmas and have now joined forces to try to get them out.

One of the four, Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, near Hyde, is partially sighted. He was jailed for two years and five months.

His mother Janet said: "I couldn't believe this was an EU country when we saw the conditions they are being kept in.

"The cells are freezing cold, the lads were kept for two weeks in the same clothes they had been wearing when they were brought in, the food is awful, and the prison officers treat them like absolute dirt.

"They are kept confined to their cells all day with the exception of a 20-minute exercise break. Nobody seems to speak any English and they are constantly being bombarded with forms they are asked to sign, which they can't understand.

"We are all on a horrifying emotional roller-coaster, and nobody seems to be doing anything to help us."

Italian police claim the four men were part of a group of 60 or 70 fans dressed in black who crossed a bridge outside the stadium in search of a fight.

Families, however, say that English supporters were taken by bus to the ground where they were told to get off in the middle of Italian fans who then bombarded them with bottles and missiles.

Another jailed fan is Nicholas Lukacs, 18, from Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire. His mum Anna said: "Riot police moved in, tear gas was used, and officers just kept hitting them with batons.

"Nicholas said he fell, and held out his hands to the police as if to say `I've done nothing, help me' and they took no notice and still hit him.

"Somebody from the British Embassy went to see him and told us that he was all right.

"In fact, he was covered in bruises from the beating and could hardly walk for three days. The conditions in which they are being held are horrendous. We have been told they will remain there until the appeal hearing.

"The next step now is to appoint our own lawyer, who may also represent one or two of the other lads. We are just ordinary decent families struggling to cope with a situation that is totally alien to us."

The other fans in prison are Michael Burk 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, who was jailed for two years and four months, and Richard Wimmer, 39, believed to be from Yorkshire, who got two years five months.

Football fan must stay in prison

2007-12-28T13:07:00.000Z

By Ian Noble

A FOOTBALL fan from the region who was jailed for fighting with rival supporters in Rome will spend at least three months in an Italian prison.

Manchester United fan Richard Wimmer, 39, of North Yorkshire, was jailed for fighting with AS Roma supporters.

The brawl came as United fans clashed with those of AS Roma before a Champions League match on December 12.
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Wimmer, of South Parade, Northallerton, was one of four fans from England to be arrested.

Kyle Dillon, 23, Nicholas Lukas, 18, and Michael Burke, 35, were arrested with him before the match, which ended 1-1. They were charged with assault and resisting arrest by the Italian police.

Wimmer and Dillon were both jailed for two years and six months, while Burke and Lukas were sentenced to two years and five months.

An appeal hearing was held this week, but the four will remain in prison until a new trial date is set.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "They are being held in jail in Italy and have not been sent back to the UK. There was an appeal on Monday and their lawyer is still going forward with the case. The case could still take two to three months before a date is set for another trial."

The four were part of a group of fans who were being escorted to AS Roma's Stadio Olimpico.

They are thought to have joined a 60-strong gang of Manchester United fans who broke away from the main group.

They then ran into rival AS Roma fans close to the Duca d'Aosta bridge, where fighting broke out.

Greater Manchester Police hooligan spotters identified the four to Italian officers for their part in the fighting.

A police spokesman said they had not been not subject to any football banning orders.

Manchester police Superintendent John Graves said: "The majority of people travelling are genuine football fans who just want to have a good night."

He warned fans at future matches: "When travelling to the stadium, use the official transport provided and be mindful of your personal safety."

Michael Heaton, branch secretary of the Harrogate and District Manchester United Supporters' Club, said: "I have been all over the world following Manchester United for over 50 years and I'm not a hooligan.

"But some of the things you have to put up with when you travel abroad are disgraceful.

"There are places to avoid and I would rather you could just go to a match and be able to watch it safely."

Five other Manchester United fans were stabbed in violence which marred the match

Fans to stay in jail until appeal

2007-12-27T09:47:00.000Z

BBC

Four Manchester United fans jailed for their part in a fight with Roma fans are to remain in prison in Italy while they wait for their appeal hearing.

Five United fans were stabbed in a fight between rival fans before the Champions League match in Rome on Wednesday, 12 December.

Four supporters were jailed but had hoped to be allowed to return home before their appeal could be heard.

The Foreign Office said they would now remain in jail until their appeal.

A date for the appeal hearing has not yet been set.

'Violent behaviour'

The four men were formally charged with violent behaviour and resisting arrest.

None of the stabbed fans suffered serious injuries.

The judges presiding in the case met in Rome on Christmas Eve, but their decision was not known until Thursday.

Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, near Hyde, and Richard Wimmer, 39, were each sentenced to two years and five months.

Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, were jailed for two years and four months.

Late appeal fails for jailed Manchester United fans

2007-12-26T09:36:00.000Z

The Herald (no online content)

FOUR Manchester United fans spent Christmas Day behind bars in Italy despite a last-minute appeal hearing.

The men, who were jailed last Friday for their part in a fight with rival supporters, had hoped to be freed following an appeal tribunal which sat on Monday.

But they will have to wait until tomorrow to learn the result of their appeal, the Foreign Office said.

Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, were each jailed for two years and six months. Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, were each jailed for two years and five months.

The four were arrested on December 12 after fighting broke out between Manchester United and AS Roma fans before the Champions League group game in the Italian capital.

The four were charged with violent behaviour and resisting arrest after skirmishes on the Duca d’Aosta bridge near the Stadio Olimpico, a wellknown hangout for Roma’s hardline supporters.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “The judges presiding in this case met in Rome on December 24. The result of their deliberations will not be known before December 27. Their families have been informed.”

Relatives of Dillon are believed to be in Italy.

Italian media reports at the time suggested the four men were part of a group of around 60 supporters who broke away from an escort and made their own way to the stadium before hitting trouble.

It is believed the four men were known to police in England but were not subject to any football banning orders.

If the appeals tribunal does decide to release the men they will serve suspended sentences in the UK.

Manchester United fans jailed in Italy

2007-12-26T09:16:00.000Z

Telegraph

By Sally Peck and agencies

Four Manchester United fans will be spending Christmas in an Italian prison after they were jailed in Rome today for their part in a fight with rival football supporters.

A British Embassy spokesman in Rome said that Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, had both been sentenced to two years and six months in prison after facing charges of assault and resisting arrest.

Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, were both jailed for two years and five months, he said.

The four men were arrested on December 12 after fighting with AS Roma fans before the Champions League match in the Italian capital.

The men were arrested during violent fighting between United and Roma fans on the Duke D'Aosta bridge outside Roma's Olympic Stadium.

Security arrangements for last night were tight and included 60 United stewards and a total ban on the sale of alcohol throughout the city in the afternoon. Police helicopters also circled the stadium in an attempt to isolate trouble spots.

The match, which ended 1-1, was largely academic as both sides had already qualified for the last 16 of the competition.

Man United fans Xmas in jail

2007-12-26T08:43:00.000Z

Mirror.co.uk

Four Manchester United fans spent Christmas Day behind bars in Italy after a failed appeal hearing.

The men - Kyle Dillon, 23, Richard Wimmer, 39, Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35 - were jailed five days ago for their part in a fight with rival fans from AS Roma.

The Foreign Office said: "The result of judges deliberating in this case will not be known before December 27."

Christmas in jail for football fans

2007-12-24T08:44:00.000Z

ITN

Four Manchester United fans jailed after a fight with Roma supporters will spend Christmas behind bars in Italy.

The four men were given prison sentences for their part in a mass brawl with supporters of AS Roma but hoped to be freed after an appeal.

But the judges deciding their fate will wait until after Christmas to deliver their ruling.

Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, were both jailed for two years and six months.

Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, were both jailed for two years and five months.

The four were arrested on December 12 after fighting broke out with AS Roma fans before United's Champions League group game in Rome.

The Britons were charged with violent behaviour and resisting arrest after the clash.

If the appeals tribunal decides to release them they will serve suspended sentences in the UK.

Family back jailed fan

2007-12-22T09:42:00.000Z

Manchester Evening News

Deborah Haile
22/12/2007

THE family of a partially-sighted Manchester United fan jailed in Italy for his part in a fight against Roma fans have vowed to fight to overturn the court's decision.

Kyle Dillon, aged 23, was arrested by Italian Police before the Reds took on Roma at the Stadio Olimpico last Wednesday .

Skirmishes had broken out on the Duca d'Aosta bridge near the Stadio Olimpico, which is known as a hangout for Roma's hardline supporters, known as `Ultras'.

Following the fighting Kyle was one of four supporters accused of violent behaviour and resisting arrest.

Italian media reports at the time suggested the four men had been part of a group of around 60 supporters that broke away from an escort and made their own way to the stadium before hitting trouble.

And there have been suggestions that the four men were known to police in England, though none were subject to any football banning orders.

Yesterday a court in Rome sentenced Kyle to two-years-and-six-months in jail. At the same hearing in Rome yesterday Michael Burk, 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, and Nicholas Lucas, 18, were jailed for two years and five months. Richard Wimmer, 39, was given a sentence of two years and six months.

Character references

But Kyle's family - who collected character references and medical reports for the court in advance of the hearing - have been shocked by the court's decision.

They say Kyle has travelled all over the world to watch United and never been in any trouble with the police and they refuse to believe Kyle could have instigated a fight.

Now they are determined to do all they can to over-turn the decision at appeal.

After the hearing they say Kyle leaned over to his mum Janet and said simply: "Mum I promise I haven't done anything wrong."

And that is all the confirmation girlfriend Stacey and the rest of Kyle's family say they need to continue their fight against the court's verdict.

Stacey, who is set to fly out to Italy today , said: "They are saying he was part of an organised gang, but that just isn't true. He doesn't even know the guys he was arrested with. Kyle has never been in any trouble and he would never do that.

"Kyle is just a brilliant person. Whenever we go out everyone says that I am so lucky to have him."

Stacey says Kyle has told his mum he isn't even sure of what he has been accused of because his current lawyer has to communicate with him through a translator.

And he has told her that at the prison, Regina Coeli, he is not allowed to wash regularly and is only allowed out of his cell for 20 minutes a day.

Kyle's dad John says the strain of prison life is taking its toll on Kyle, who suffers from an inherited condition called Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy, resulting in only partial vision in each eye.

"He is a strong lad with a strong character, but he doesn't seem to be coping too well," said John. "He is very light-hearted and gets on with it, but he is hardly getting to have a wash and he's only allowed out of his cell for 20 minutes a day.

"I spoke to Janet this morning and she says Kyle is adamant that he has done nothing wrong. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Kyle is a smashing lad who has never been in trouble with the police in his life. He has been all over the world with United and never been in any trouble.

"He's a lad who always strives to do his best. He doesn't want people to see he has a disability and he's a lad who goes out and works hard to get on with his life.

"He is back in court on Monday and we are hoping that they will suspend the sentence. If they don't suspend the sentence on Monday his appeal could go on for months."

Janet has already obtained the services of an English-speaking private solicitor in Rome, although a mix-up with the paperwork meant that she was not able to represent Kyle at the court case yesterday.

Now they are hoping she may be able to pick up the case at the next stage.

Reliving the moments before Kyle's arrest, fellow United fan and friend Steven Surrey, 32, from Hattersley, said: "We were on our way to the ground from the city centre.

Weapons

"As we came off the bridge there were a number of Roma fans waiting with weapons and projectiles and trouble erupted. We were at the back of a group of United fans who were attacked by Roma fans.

"After a couple of minutes the police got involved by dispersing the United group. I just ran for my life. We got separated and later I got a text from Kyle to say he had been arrested."

According to the British Embassy the four men will appear in court again on Monday where an appeals tribunal will decide whether or not to release them.

This would effectively mean that they would be serving suspended sentences and raises the prospect that they could be home in time for Christmas.

Two years ago Kyle was featured in the MEN after winning `Individual of the Year' from the Manchester Employer Coalition, after he successfully qualified as a gas engineer.

United fans jailed

2007-12-22T09:00:00.000Z

Times

Four Manchester United fans were each jailed for more than two years for fighting with rival supporters in Italy. Kyle Dillon, 23, Richard Wimmer, 39, Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, were held on December 12 before the Champions League game with AS Roma. They were charged with violent behaviour and resisting arrest. The sentences could be suspended.

Prison for United fans who fought in Rome

2007-12-22T08:56:00.000Z

Telegraph

By Malcolm Moore in Rome
Last Updated: 12:46am GMT 22/12/2007

Four Manchester United fans have been jailed by an Italian court for fighting before the Champions' League match against Roma earlier this month.

Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, were both given sentences of two years and five months. Nicholas Lucas, 18 and Michael Burk, 35, were sentenced to two years and four months in prison.

Judge Roberto Mendoza said all four men were guilty of resisting arrest and violent conduct. Dillon and Wimmer were sentenced to an extra month in jail because they also damaged property.

Italian police said that the men were part of a group of 60 or 70 fans dressed head to toe in black, who crossed the bridge outside the stadium in search of a fight.

"They came over the bridge, went to the River Bar, where the Roma fans go before the match, and started fighting immediately. Some of them threw bottles; some of them threw rocks," said a police spokesman. He added that the group of hooligans was highly organised.

During the fighting, five Manchester United fans were stabbed by Roma Ultras and needed hospital treatment.

Chief Superintendent John Graves, of Greater Manchester Police, was the head of a group of English policemen working with Italian police to contain the violence. "The Italian police were far more responsive to our information and advice than I expected," he said.

Greater Manchester Police identified the four men and said they were "known to them". However, none of the men has a banning order from Old Trafford. A United spokesman said the club would now look at taking action against them.

Catia Summaria, the public prosecutor in Rome, said: "These were serious charges of violence." The men did not enter a plea, but chose an 'abbreviated trial', which entitled them to a two-thirds reduction in their sentence under Italian law.

Dillon's mother, Janet, was adamant that her son had been "in the wrong place at the wrong time".

She said: "He's a season ticket holder; he goes to all the games. He's mad about Manchester United, but he would never get involved in any violence. He would walk away from it."

Dillon is partially sighted, and his mother said that he had "no previous record at all of anything like this".

She added: "I came to Rome with a ticket to take him home. Now his girlfriend and father are going to have to come over here for Christmas. I brought references from his employer and from his doctor. Everyone says he would never get into trouble."

The last time Manchester United and Roma played in Rome, last April, several people were hospitalised both inside and outside the stadium.

United yob fans caged in Italy

2007-12-22T08:52:00.000Z

The Sun

Published: 22 Dec 2007

FOUR Manchester United yobs have been jailed for a total of nearly ten years in Italy.

Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, got two years and six months and Michael Burk, 35, and Nicholas Lucas, 18, two years and five months in Rome.

They were in a 60-strong masked mob who attacked Roma fans with rocks at a Champions League tie this month.

Soccer fans sent to jail

2007-12-22T08:50:00.000Z

StarPhoenix, Canada

Published: Saturday, December 22, 2007

Four fans of the Manchester United soccer club of England were each sentenced to more than two years in jail Friday in connection with clashes with supporters for the Italian club AS Roma.

The four were arrested after clashing with rival fans at a bar Dec. 12, when English side United played Roma in a Champions League match.

The fans were found guilty of resisting arrest and throwing objects which could cause harm.

United Fans Jailed In ItalyUnited Fans Jailed In Italy

2007-12-22T08:48:00.000Z

Glasgow Daily Record

Dec 22 2007

FOUR Manchester United fans have been jailed in Italy after trouble at a Roma home match.

Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, each got two years and six months. Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, each got two years and five months.

Five United fans were stabbed by right-wing Roma Ultras thugs at the Champions League game.

United fan jailed following Roma fight

2007-12-21T18:44:00.000Z

The Bolton News

By Saiqa Chaudhari

A MANCHESTER United fan from Little Hulton has been jailed for his part in a fight with rival footballer supporters during a Champions League game in Italy.

Michael Burk, aged 35, has been jailed for two years and five months, said a British Embassy spokesman in Rome.

Burk was arrested on December 12, together with three other Manchester United supporters, after fighting with AS Roma fans before the group game in the Italian capital.

He was charged with violent behaviour and resisting arrest after skirmishes broke out on the Duca d'Aosta bridge near the Stadio Olimpico, a well-known hangout for Roma's hardline supporters or "Ultras".

Italian media reports at the time suggested the four men were part of a group of around 60 supporters that broke away from an escort and made their own way to the stadium before hitting trouble.

Greater Manchester police provided spotters to work with Italian police outside the Stadio Olimpico. But there are conflicting reports as to whether they identified the four.

Italian riot police broke up fighting with two baton charges.

Five United fans were stabbed during skirmishes between a group of 50 rival fans on the Wednesday evening.

It is believed the four men were known to police in England but were not subject to any football banning orders.

The other men jailed were Nicholas Lucas, aged 18 who received the same sentence as Burk; Kyle Dillion, aged 23, from Mottram, near Hyde, and Richard Wimmer, aged 39. The two were jailed for two years and six months.

They will appear in court again on Monday where an appeals tribunal will decide whether or not to release them, the Embassy spokesman said.

This would mean they would serve suspended sentences and could mean they could be home for Christmas.

The teams drew 1-1, and both qualified for the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

6:44pm Friday 21st December 2007

United fans jailed in Italy

2007-12-21T16:40:00.000Z

In the News

Friday, 21 Dec 2007 16:40

Four Manchester United fans face spending Christmas in an Italian jail after being sentenced over football violence offences.

The four men were convicted for their part in clashes between United and Roma football fans earlier this month.

Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, were both handed sentences of two years and six months.

Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, were jailed for two years and five months each.

According to police in Rome the four supporters were part of an organised gang that fought Roma fans ahead of the two team's 1-1 draw on December 12th.

Clashes broke out between rival supporters on the Duke D'Aosta Bridge outside the Stadio Olimpico, leading to five United fans being stabbed.

The four men are permitted to appeal against their sentences twice before being imprisoned.

Reds fan in Rome court

2007-12-21T09:44:00.000Z

Manchester Evening News

21/12/2007

A partially-sighted Manchester United fan will appear before an Italian court , after being arrested on the day of the Reds' match against Roma.

Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, near Hyde, faces charges of assault and resisting arrest.

His family - who insist Kyle would never start a fight - have been told he could spend Christmas behind bars, if he is convicted.

His mum Janet, who has been unable to talk to her son since his arrest, has flown out to Italy to support him.

Kyle is one of four United fans being held in jail in Rome.

The arrests followed fighting outside the Stadio Olimpico before the Champions League match.

Man United fans jailed in Italy

2007-12-21T09:22:00.000Z

BBC

Four Manchester United fans have been jailed for their part in a fight with Roma fans in Italy.

Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, near Hyde, and Richard Wimmer, 39, were each sentenced to two years and five months.

Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, were jailed for two years and four months.

The British Embassy said in the past sentences had been suspended, but there was no guarantee of this and all four were likely to spend Christmas in jail.

According to police, the four Manchester United supporters were part of a group which broke away from other fans travelling to the Champions League game in Rome on 12 December.

Notorious hangout

The police said they made for the River Bar, said to be a notorious hangout for the Roma Ultras, where fighting broke out with bottles and chairs being thrown.

The four men, who were dressed in black with scarves wrapped around their faces, were all identified by Greater Manchester Police spotters outside the ground.

However, Dillon's mother, Janet, who attended the court hearing with character references and medical statements declaring that her son is partially-sighted, claims he was an innocent man who had got caught up in the violence.

"My son is not a thug, he's not a hooligan, he's not a member of a gang," she said.

Five United fans were stabbed during skirmishes between rival fans on the Wednesday evening.

The violence flared at the Pont Duca d'Aosta bridge, the scene of previous clashes between visiting fans and Roma's Ultras.

Police used two baton charges to disperse the fans during the violence, which was the latest in a series of clashes between supporters of the two clubs.

'Abbreviated' trial

Dillon, Wimmer, Lucas and Burk appeared in court in Rome in an "abbreviated" trial in front of three magistrates.

No oral evidence is given in such trials.

The decision is made by the court on the basis of documents and video put forward in the preliminary investigation by the public prosecutor.

The accused also give up their right to cross examination, but their decision to appear in an abbreviated trial means their sentences are reduced by a third.

The last time Manchester United and AS Roma met in April, 11 fans were taken to hospital after supporters were beaten by riot police inside the stadium.

Three United supporters were also stabbed outside the ground.

Scuffles also broke out outside Old Trafford during the second leg of that tie a week later, with 21 people arrested.

United fans jailed after clashes in Rome

2007-12-21T09:20:00.000Z

Guardian Unlimited

Louise Radnofsky and agencies
Friday December 21, 2007

Four Manchester United fans who fought with Roma supporters during the teams' Champions League match have been jailed for resisting arrest and assault, the British embassy in Rome has confirmed.

Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, each got sentences of two years and six months in an Italian court. Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, were jailed for two years and five months.

The embassy is providing the "usual consular assistance" to the men, who will appeal their sentences on Monday, a spokeswoman said.

Unless their sentences are suspended, the men will still be in jail over Christmas. They were already being held in Italy while awaiting trial.

Italian police said the men were part of an organised group of 60 hooligans that broke away from the official supporters club travellers at the Champions League game in Rome on December 12.

Greater Manchester police provided spotters to work with Italian police, but were not the ones to identify or arrest the four outside the Stadio Olimpico, the British force said.

Dillon, a gas engineer, is partially-sighted and his family have been concerned for his health, the Manchester Evening News and Tameside Advertiser reported.

His mother, Janet, was in court this morning, a foreign office spokesman said. Janet Dillon maintains that her son is innocent and said she had brought character references from Kyle's school, doctor and employer to the court.

She told the BBC after her son was sentenced that she had booked him a flight to Britain tomorrow in the expectation he would be travelling home.

"He's never been in trouble with the police," she said. "He doesn't get in trouble. He's a Man United fan who goes to watch the football."

"My son is not a thug, he's not a hooligan, he's not a member of a gang."

Five Manchester United fans were hospitalised after being stabbed in other fights outside the stadium before the match.

Italian riot police broke up fighting with two baton charges. The teams drew 1-1, and both qualified for the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

United fans in Rome jailed

2007-12-21T09:18:00.000Z

Manchester Evening News

21/12/2007

FOUR Manchester United fans have been jailed after they were arrested on the day of the Reds' match against Roma.

The fans - two of which are from Manchester - will now spend Christmas in jail after they were sentenced to at least two years behind bars.

Partially sighted Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, near Hyde, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, after facing charges of assault and resisting arrest.

Meanwhile at the same hearing Michael Burk, 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, and Nicholas Lucas, 18, were jailed for two years and five months.

Richard Wimmer, 39, was given a sentence of two years and six months.

Belief

Kyle's mum Janet had flown out to the hearing with character references and medical statements of support, adamant in the belief that her son would never have started a fight. And when she flew out for the hearing yesterday, she had still not been able to speak to her son since his arrest.

The four arrests followed fighting outside the Stadio Olimpico last Wednesday evening. According to police, the four Manchester United supporters were part of an organised group of 60 hooligans who had broken away from those travelling with the official supporters clubs to the Champions League game in Rome on 12 December.

The police said they made for the River Bar, said to be a notorious hangout for the Roma Ultras, where fighting broke out with bottles and chairs being thrown.

The four men, who were dressed in black with scarves wrapped around their faces, were all identified by Greater Manchester Police spotters outside the ground.

Five United fans were stabbed during skirmishes between a group of 50 rival fans on the Wednesday evening.

Four Manchester Utd fans sentenced for hooliganism

2007-12-21T09:17:00.000Z

Guardian Unlimited

Four Manchester United fans were each sentenced to more than two years in jail on Friday in connection with clashes with AS Roma supporters, judicial sources said.

The four were arrested after clashing with rival fans at a bar on Dec. 12, when English side United played Roma in a Champions League match.

The fans were found guilty of resisting arrest and throwing objects which could cause harm.

Two were sentenced to two years and five months and the other two were sentenced to two years and four months. They can appeal the ruling twice before they would have to serve the sentence.
Five United fans and one Roma supporter were stabbed during trouble before the match. Clashes between United fans and police also marred April's Champions League match between the two teams in the Italian capital.

Italy has been cracking down on soccer-related violence after two deaths this year. (Writing by Mark Meadows; Editing by Charles Dick)

United fans jailed after clashes in Rome

2007-12-21T09:12:00.000Z

Channel 4

Four Manchester United fans have been jailed for fighting at a Champions League game in Rome.

A British Embassy spokesman in Rome confirmed that Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, had both been sentenced to two years and six months in prison for their parts in the fights.

Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, were both jailed for two years and five months, he said.

The men were arrested on December 12 after police were called to fights between Manchester United supporters and fans from AS Roma.

They were charged with violent behaviour and resisting arrest after skirmishes broke out on the Duca d'Aosta bridge, a well-known hangout for Roma's hardline supporters or "Ultras".

They will appear in court again on Monday where an appeals tribunal will decide whether or not to release them, the Embassy spokesman said.

This would effectively mean that they would be serving suspended sentences and raises the prospect that they could be home in time for Christmas.

Five United fans were stabbed during the clashes, which was the latest incident in a recent history of violence.

A total of 11 United fans were stabbed and scores more were injured when the sides met in Rome for the quarter-final first leg of last season's Champions League competition in April. Police also fought with supporters inside the ground.

Roma were fined £31,000 and United £14,500 for the crowd trouble that marred that game.

Manchester United fans are jailed in Italy

2007-12-21T09:11:00.000Z

Daily Mail

Four Manchester United fans were jailed in Italy today for their part in a fight with rival football supporters.

A British Embassy spokesman in Rome said that Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, had both been sentenced to two years and six months in prison.

Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, were both jailed for two years and five months, he said.

The four men were arrested on December 12 after fighting with AS Roma fans before the Champions League group game in the Italian capital.

They were charged with violent behaviour and resisting arrest after skirmishes broke out on the Duca d'Aosta bridge near the Stadio Olimpico, a well-known hangout for Roma's hardline supporters or "Ultras".

The four men, who were dressed in black with scarves wrapped around their faces, were all identified by Greater Manchester Police spotters outside the ground.

Five United fans were stabbed during skirmishes between rival fans on the Wednesday evening.

The clash with Roma fans was the latest episode of violence between the two sets of fans.

11 fans were taken to hospital after supporters were beaten by riot police inside the stadium when the teams met in April.

Three United supporters were also stabbed outside the ground on the same occasion.

A further 21 people were arrested following a match a week later when the clubs met in Manchester.

During the trial, no oral evidence was given.

In trials such as these, decisions are reached by the courts purely on the basis of documents and videos handed over by the public prosecutor.

The decision of the accused to appear in a trial such as this means their sentences are reduced by a third.

Four United fans jailed for Roma violence

2007-12-21T09:07:00.000Z

This is London

Last updated at 22:42pm on 22.12.07

Four Manchester United fans received jail sentences of up to 29 months following violent clashes between rival supporters before a Champions League game with Roma.

According to public prosecutor Katia Summaria, the fans were part of a 70-strong band of hooligans that English police warned their Italian counterparts about before the game on December 12.

Armed with rocks and missiles, the group confronted Roma fans outside the stadium, according to the ANSA news agency.

Five United fans and one Roma supporter were stabbed during trouble before the match. Clashes between United fans and police also marred April's Champions League match between the two teams in the Italian capital.

A British Embassy spokesman in Rome said that Kyle Dillon, 23, and Richard Wimmer, 39, had both been sentenced to two years and six months in prison.

Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35, were both jailed for two years and five months, he said.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Four Man United fans sentenced in Rome for violence before Champions League game

2007-12-21T08:57:00.000Z

The Canadian Press

Dec 21, 2007

ROME - Four Manchester United fans received jail sentences Friday of up to 29 months for violence that preceded a Champions League game with AS Roma earlier this month, news reports said.

According to public prosecutor Katia Summaria, the fans were part of a 70-strong band of hooligans that English police warned their Italian counterparts about before the game. Armed with rocks and other harmful objects, the group confronted Roma fans outside the stadium, according to the ANSA news agency.

Two of the fans received jail sentences of 28 months for resisting police, ANSA said. The other two were sentenced for an extra month because they were also accused of damaging public property, according to ANSA.

Prosecutors in Rome were not reachable for comment.

The Dec. 12 match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Man Utd fans await fate after Roma violence

2007-12-19T09:27:00.000Z

Telegraph

By Malcolm Moore in Rome

Four Manchester United fans risk spending Christmas in an Italian jail, where they have been held for a week on charges of violent behaviour and resisting arrest.

Nicholas Lucas, 18, Michael Burk, 35, Richard Wimmer, 39, and Kyle Dillon, 23, were arrested in Rome before last Wednesday's Champions League match against Roma and are due to appear before a judge on Friday.

The men were arrested during fighting between United and Roma fans on the Duke D'Aosta bridge outside Roma's Olympic Stadium.

A spokesman for the British Embassy said the men's lawyer "had asked for more time to prepare a case". A source said the men had been recorded on CCTV footage that covers the bridge.

Five other Manchester United fans were stabbed during the fight and were treated in hospital. Police had to use tear gas to separate the rival fans.

"We are aware that four men were charged on the night," said a spokesman for United. "We are waiting to see what the verdict will be."
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Chief Superintendent John Graves, of Greater Manchester Police, was in Rome on the evening and helped organise the security arrangements. "I would question the motives of any fan who decided not to take the transport and advice that was offered and make their own way to the ground," he said.

He queried why the men had chosen to cross the bridge in a large group, at a time when it is usually packed with Roma fans. However, he added that there were far fewer problems than the season before, when a score of United supporters were stabbed and several others wounded by police in clashes in the stadium.

The mother of Dillon said he was partially sighted and would never take part in football violence. Janet Dillon, 47, told the Manchester Evening News: "I can't honestly believe that he was involved in any fighting outside the stadium. He has never been in any trouble before. I've found the Italian legal system incredibly frustrating as I've not been able to speak to him or find out how he is.

"His friends had to bring his luggage and passport back to Manchester with them - as there was no one to leave it with there - so he is stranded. I've spoken to lawyers in Rome and am preparing to fly out to Italy with some money and his passport if I have to before he appears in court. I just want him home for Christmas."

Dillon suffers from Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy, she said, which means he has only partial vision.

Officials see Reds fan locked up in Italian jail

2007-12-19T09:25:00.000Z

This is Lancashire

By Staff Reporter

CONSULAR officials have visited a Little Hulton builder in a Rome jail after he and three others were accused of assault and resisting arrest before Manchester United's game against Roma last week.

Mike Burke, a 35-year-old father, and the three other British fans are due to appear in court on Friday.

Their families are hoping the charges will be thrown out and they will be allowed to fly home in time for Christmas.

If they are found guilty of the offences, allegedly committed outside the Stadio Olimpico before the Reds' 1-1 draw with Roma, then they could face up to seven weeks in prison.

Mr Burke's partner, Carmon Ducker, is anxiously waiting for news and is adamant that he would not get involved in soccer violence.

Five Manchester United fans were stabbed as trouble flared among some 50 rival fans on a bridge near the stadium.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "I can confirm that Mr Burke is in prison and that the next court hearing is scheduled for December 21.

"The charge is resisting arrest and assault. We are providing consular assistance but there are no indications of what is likely to happen at the next hearing."

The spokesman added: "Conditions are generally good in Italian jails. We have not had any concerns about the prison where they are being held."

Fears for Reds in Rome jail

2007-12-18T09:28:00.000Z

Manchester Evening News

Don Frame
18/12/2007

A SECOND football fan from Manchester is in danger of missing a family Christmas at home after being arrested in Rome last week.

Builder Mike Burke 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, spent his birthday in a prison cell where he is being held until he appears in court on Friday.

He was arrested outside the Stadio Olimpico before the Reds' match against Roma last week and is to be charged with assault and resisting arrest.

Mr Burke's partner Carmon Ducker fears for his health. Mike suffers from asthma and Carmon said she had found his inhaler in luggage brought back from Rome. "He would be really stuck without it as he has to use it every day," she said.

"What I can't understand is why the Italian authorities have held him in prison so long on charges that are just bizarre. Mike has never got involved in soccer violence or any kind of trouble. It's just laughable.

Confronted

"From what I am told, the lads have done nothing wrong. They were walking to the stadium when they were confronted by police who seemed to be looking for trouble.

"I wanted to fly out there, but the British Embassy told me there was no guarantee that I would get to see Mike. The whole thing is a nightmare."

She fears that even if Mike is released on Friday he won't be able to organise a flight to get him home for Christmas.

The M.E.N. revealed at the weekend how relatives of partially-sighted United fan Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram in Hyde, fear he too will spend Christmas in a cell. He is also due to be charged with assault and resisting arrest and his family are anxious about his health.

Kyle suffers from Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy and has only partial vision in each eye.

Kyle's mum Janet 47, said: "We have been told that the best-case scenario is that the charges will be thrown out on Friday, but we have been warned he could spend six or seven weeks in prison if they find him guilty."

Mum's fears for Rome jail fan

2007-12-17T09:30:00.000Z

Manchester Evening News

Ben Rooth
17/12/2007

RELATIVES of a partially-sighted United fan arrested in Rome last week say they fear he will spend Christmas in a prison cell.

Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, in Hyde, was detained on Wednesday outside the Stadio Olimpico before the match against Roma kicked off. Members of his family have been unable to speak to him since and are `greatly concerned' for his health and well-being.

The Foreign Office confirmed to the M.E.N. yesterday that Kyle is among four United fans still being held in jail in Rome. He will appear before magistrates in the Italian capital this Friday on charges alleging assault and resisting arrest.

His mother Janet, 47, said: "I can't tell you how worried we are about Kyle's well-being. I keep imagining that he was among those who suffered the effects of the tear gas released by the Italian police.

"I can't honestly believe that he was involved in any fighting outside the stadium. He has never been in any trouble before. I've found the Italian legal system incredibly frustrating as I've not been able to speak to him or find out how he is.

"His friends had to bring his luggage and passport back to Manchester with them - as there was no one to leave it with there - so he is stranded. I've spoken to lawyers in Rome and am preparing to fly out to Italy with some money and his passport if I have to before he appears in court on Friday. I just want him home for Christmas."

Kyle suffers from an inherited condition called Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy which means that he only has partial vision in each eye.

He was featured in the M.E.N. two years ago after winning `Individual of the Year' from the Manchester Employer Coalition after he successfully qualified as a gas engineer.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office confirmed that Kyle is in good health and has been assessed by doctors.

"I can confirm that the doctors there are aware of Kyle's medical condition," he added.

Police chief wants Roma ban

2007-12-13T08:39:00.000Z

Manchester Evening News

13/12/2007

POLICE chief Dave McLuckie has called for Roma to be thrown out of European football after more trouble marred their Champions League clash with Manchester United last night.

Five United fans were stabbed in fighting before the final group game between the two sides in Italy as a further depressing chapter was added to the the history of violence involving the Rome club.

Eighteen travelling United supporters needed hospital treatment in April after clashes on the terraces outside the city's Stadio Olimpico Stadium, while three Middlesbrough fans were stabbed and many others injured as trouble flared the night before their UEFA Cup clash with Roma in March last year.

Councillor McLuckie, chairman of Cleveland Police Authority, was among those caught up in the violence that night and is an outspoken critic of the way the Roman authorities have dealt with football hooliganism.

The Stadio Olimpico is due to host the final of the Champions League in 2009 and, in the wake of the latest incidents, Mr McLuckie believes the time has now come for UEFA to act.

Ban

Mr McLuckie said: "Roma should be banned from these competitions. They should not be allowed to enter from the start because the authorities are not able to look after the people who come to their city to watch football.

"They should just be banned from European football. They should not be involved in the Champions League or the UEFA Cup, and that should be the case until they clean up their act."

English clubs suffered just that fate in the wake of the Heysel tragedy, and Mr McLuckie believes the way British police have subsequently dealt with football hooliganism could be of use to the Italian authorities.

He said: "We are the experts, sadly, because we needed to be.

"We have a real grip on this kind of thing and I know the British police would be happy to give the Italian authorities and help they require in tackling this issue.

"At the end of the day, the authorities in Rome have failed to keep control of these fans time after time after time, and the Italian authorities as a whole must get in there.

"Here in this country, we do raids on known hooligans before away matches and before big international matches and we stop those individuals travelling.

"They must be more proactive in the way they deal with football hooliganism.

Attack

"When people travel to Rome, they don't expect to be attacked and they certainly don't expect to be stabbed, but this is becoming the norm.

"I wouldn't go back there. I love football and I have travelled all over to watch it, but I wouldn't go back to the place.

"The very least you are going to get is a beating - and to try to stem the some of the problems, the authorities take the away fans and treat them worse than animals."

Much of the trouble in Rome has been laid firmly at the feet of the club's notorious Ultras.

However, Mr McLuckie admits that, whoever is responsible, it is only by chance that a British fan has not been killed in the city and has called on the Italian Government to step in.

He said: "I am absolutely astounded that so far, no-one is dead - but it will not be long before it happens.

"A few weeks ago when the police officer accidentally shot a fan, they rioted in the streets as if they were saying, 'We will do what we want and how dare you try to stop us and kill one of us?'

"Until the authorities make a real crackdown on the people responsible instead of allowing them to riot in the streets as they did a short few weeks ago and take control of their city, this is going to happen time and time again.

"It is not the Rome authorities who need to do this now, it is the Italian authorities from the very top who need to address this situation now."

United reveal Roma disappointment

2007-12-13T08:37:00.000Z

Manchester Evening News

13/12/2007

MANCHESTER United have confirmed their dismay at the violence which scarred their latest visit to Rome.

Five visiting fans were stabbed and a total of nine needed hospital treatment after trouble flared ahead of last night's Champions League encounter with Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

Although the problems were nowhere near as widespread as those which erupted during the quarter-final meeting between the two teams in the Italian capital last April, when police baton-charged United fans inside the stadium, it emphasised the deep-rooted hooligan problem in Italy.

United officials worked tirelessly in the build-up to last night's 1-1 draw to try to ensure the game passed off peacefully. Sadly, those efforts proved fruitless.

"As a club, we are disappointed that this has occurred as we worked extremely hard with the relevant authorities to avoid any such circumstances," said a United spokesman.

"Naturally we are concerned for the quick recovery of those involved, but are relieved that the injuries, according to authorities, are 'light'."

While many will question why 1200 United fans travelled to the game despite knowing the problems encountered last time around, for the Italian authorities, a fresh outbreak of violence is the last thing they need.

UEFA chief executive David Taylor was genuinely shocked when informed of the trouble, having been at the game, and knows what a worrying development it is given the Stadio Olimpico has already been confirmed as host to the 2009 final.

Middlesbrough fans need no reminding that three of their fans were stabbed before a UEFA Cup tie at the ground in March 2006.

Ban

And Councillor Dave McLuckie, chairman of Cleveland Police Authority, believes the time has come for Roma to be banned from European competition.

Mr McLuckie said: "Roma should not be allowed to enter from the start because the authorities are not able to look after the people who come to their city to watch football.

"They should just be banned from European football. They should not be involved in the Champions League or the UEFA Cup, and that should be the case until they clean up their act."

English clubs suffered just that fate in the wake of the Heysel tragedy, and Mr McLuckie believes the way British police have subsequently dealt with football hooliganism could be of use to the Italian authorities.

He said: "We are the experts, sadly, because we needed to be.

"We have a real grip on this kind of thing and I know the British police would be happy to give the Italian authorities any help they require in tackling this issue.

"At the end of the day, the authorities in Rome have failed to keep control of these fans time after time after time, and the Italian authorities as a whole must get in there.

"Here in this country, we do raids on known hooligans before away matches and before big international matches and we stop those individuals travelling.

"They must be more proactive in the way they deal with football hooliganism.

"When people travel to Rome, they don't expect to be attacked and they certainly don't expect to be stabbed, but this is becoming the norm.

"I wouldn't go back there. I love football and I have travelled all over to watch it, but I wouldn't go back to the place.

"The very least you are going to get is a beating - and to try to stem the some of the problems, the authorities take the away fans and treat them worse than animals."

Britons arrested in Roma

2007-12-12T23:30:00.000Z

Manchester Evening News

12/12/2007

TWO Britons were arrested and a number injured as violence broke out ahead of tonight's Champions League tie between Roma and Manchester United, the Foreign Office said.

Fans of the rival teams clashed as they gathered outside the Stadio Olimpico in Rome for the group qualifying match.

Reports in Italy said three Manchester United supporters had been stabbed but were not thought to be seriously hurt.

The Foreign Office could not confirm the number of people injured but said two Britons had been detained.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "It appears there was trouble outside the stadium.

"A number of British fans were injured and two British nationals have been arrested.

"Our consular officials are on the way to the hospital to check on conditions, the numbers involved and whether anyone needs assistance.

"The situation is now said to be calm both outside and inside the stadium."