Football ban for man accused of Euro assault

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, A man was injured after the England v Serbia match in Gelsenkirchen
  • Author, Pamela Tickell & PA Media
  • Role, 大象传媒 News, North East and Cumbria

An England fan accused of seriously assaulting a fellow Three Lions supporter at the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany has been handed a three-year football banning order.

Josh Waugh, 34, of Conway Road, Redcar, Cleveland, was at the England v Serbia match on June 16 in Gelsenkirchen when he reportedly started a fight at about 20:00 BST.

He was handed the ban after a hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court on Thursday, Cleveland Police said.

Waugh is accused of punching the other fan, who he did not know, breaking his jaw and nose and leaving him needing surgery, the force said.

Waugh was identified from a still image taken at the scene and police visited him at his home in Redcar later.

Waugh opposed the banning order and at a hearing in June, his solicitor Nick Ayres said his client had not been charged or even spoken to by police in Germany.

PC Chris Hilton, from Cleveland's Football Policing Unit, said: "Those who commit such violence are warned that it won't be tolerated, no matter where the offending occurs, and that banning orders will be sought to stamp out this type of behaviour."

There is an ongoing investigation into the assault, which is led by German police in liaison with the UK Football Policing Unit.

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