United fans jailed after clashes in Rome

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.

Four Manchester Utd fans sentenced for hooliganism

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)