"Further violence will not be caused": England fan facing major football ban after Euro clashes

An England football fan has been reprimanded for his alleged violent actions at the Euros, following a brawl between English and Serbian fans.

Gordon Thomas, 39, appeared at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 18 June after police applied for an order banning him from attending matches for the next three years, as reported by the BBC.

District Judge Joanne Hirst said police had applied to impose the 'Football Banning Order' (FBO) as "it is said they can provide evidence you caused or contributed to disorder in the UK or elsewhere".

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The judge said there was sufficient CCTV footage showing Mr Thomas committing and instigating acts of violence in an ugly football brawl, the BBC reported from the hearing.

Mr Thomas’ passport was also confiscated upon his return to the UK, and the Bolton man will be unable to travel outside of the UK until he has satisfied additional legal criteria. 

The brawl, which has been widely publicised online, occurred on Sunday, June 16 following Serbia and England’s opening group stage game in Gelsenkirchen.

Videos on social media showed English and Serbian supporters clashing on a side street, with tables, chairs and bottles being thrown before riot police arrived on the scene. So far, seven Serbian fans have also been arrested in relation to the violent actions.

Judge Hirst told Mr Thomas that he would be facing a football ban of three years for his alleged role in the melee. "Football Banning Orders are quite draconian. It would be a minimum of three years and stop you going to a football match for three years.

"It will be so that further violence will not be caused," she said, as reported by the BBC. 

Head of the UK Football Policing Unit Mick Johnson said the arrest of Gordon Thomas reflected "the breadth of the Euro 2024 football policing operation".

The police head said that a team of officers deployed overseas were working "closely with policing colleagues in Germany" during the football competition, which will take place throughout Germany until July 11. 

"Any UK football supporter causing disorder in Germany which would be deemed an offence in this country could face police action upon their return," he said, as quoted by Sky Sports.

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