A man jailed for football violence in France is to be freed this weekend.
Chef Alex Booth, 20, is due to be released and flown to Heathrow Airport on Saturday after spending six weeks in a Marseille jail.
Alex, of New Mill, was sentenced to two months in prison and given a two year ban on entering France for “throwing a projectile.”
Prosecutors alleged he had thrown a glass beer bottle at police, a charge Alex rejected.
He was arrested on June 11 when violence erupted in the city ahead of a Euro 2016 match between England and Russia.
He spent his 20th birthday the following day behind bars with other arrested Brits and was jailed a day later.
Alex’s dad Chris, who had initially planned to attempt an appeal against his son’s sentence, said: “I’m absolutely relieved.
“The embassy phoned to tell me about his release. We just want to get him home and put him on his feet again.
“I will meet him at the airport and I’ve arranged for some of his close friends to come over when he gets home.”
Chris, 52, plans to host a public ‘welcome home’ party for Alex at the Postcard Inn in Holmfirth on Sunday night.
“We just want him to get back to normal,” added Chris. “I’m not sure what emotional scars he will have but he has accepted the way things are in jail.
“He has been phoning us regularly and has been up and down.”
Chris is still angry about the treatment of his son, who he previously said had been made a “scapegoat.”
Alex was one of six Britons arrested as trouble flared on the streets. Blame was placed on thugs from Russia known as ‘Ultras.’
Alex admitted throwing a plastic cup, not a glass bottle, a claim that was not accepted by the prosecutor.
Chris and Alex had caught a ferry to France on June 8 and driven down to the city where they intended to spend two weeks watching the Euro matches in fan zones.
“I still think it was political and completely unjust that he was locked up,” said Chris.
“He got carried away in the moment and was shouting but he wasn’t causing any trouble.
“The French public were fantastic in the help and support they gave me after his court case.
“The French authorities on the other hand were not.
“In the future, however, I would consider returning to France.”
