A Leeds United fan threw a bottle onto the pitch after a Middlesbrough FC player’s “provocative” goal celebration, a court heard today.
Nigel Pamment, of admitted throwing the plastic bottle after David Nugent’s third minute strike during Middlesbrough’s 3-0 home win over Leeds United on September 27 this year.
However, the 45-year-old of Wellhouse Avenue, Mirfield, was not given a football banning after magistrates said it would be “disproportionate”.
Prosecuting at told Teesside Magistrates’ Court, Andrew White explained how, following Middlesbrough'ss opening goal, fans in the away supporters’ enclosure had surged forwards.
Mr White said: “The steward’s supervisor observed the defendant bend forward over advertising boards, pick up a plastic bottle and throw it with his right hand onto the pitch.
“Stewards took hold of Pamment and he was arrested by police.
“He says it was a stupid thing to do and that he is sorry.”
Mr White appealed to the bench to impose a football banning order on Pamment to prevent future problems, the Teesside Gazette reported.
He said: “If such an order was made, it would ban him from attending football matches in England and Wales.
“The banning order must be between three and five years.”
However, Peter Grogan, defending, told magistrates that Pamment’s behaviour was “instinctive” following Nugent’s “provocative” goal celebration.
He said: “A goal was scored by Middlesbrough.
“The Middlesbrough player slid on his knees near to the Leeds supporters. It was inappropriate by the Middlesbrough player - it was a provocative gesture.
“Football is a tribal game. If you and I are on opposing sides - you cheer, I might jeer.
“He spontaneously leans over the advertising boards, picks up the bottle and thrown it in an underarm motion.
“The bottle travelled four or five feet. There is no suggestion it was aimed, as a missile, or at the Middlesbrough player. It was an instinctive action.”
Mr White responded by saying that the actions of the Middlesbrough player were not part of the basis of the plea accepted by the Crown and that this was not agreed by the prosecution.
Mr Grogan added: “This is at the bottom end of the scale in terms of seriousness.
“When interviewed, he said he was sorry. He repeats that today - he is deeply regretful, deeply sorry and he is embarrassed to be here.
“It is an offence for a person at a designated football match to throw anything at, or towards, the playing area.
“It would have been an offence if it had been a sweet wrapper or a cigarette end.
“It wasn’t aimed at anyone and couldn’t have hurt anyone at all.
“He has been going to football matches since he was 13. About 30 to 40 games per season. That’s about 1,200 games.
“A football banning order is not necessary in this case - this is a one-off offence.”
Sentencing Pamment, chairman of the bench, Jacinta Skipp, said: “We feel a football banning order to be disproportionate.
“We are not satisfied there are grounds to believe a banning order would prevent violence or disorder in the future.”
Pamment was fined £400 and ordered to pay £196 in charges and £85 costs.
