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.”
