Pc injured in Shrewsbury Town football brawl still not fully fit
A police officer from Shropshire whose leg was broken in a massive town centre brawl has still not fully recovered a year later, it was revealed in court, as more football hooligans were jailed.
Lengthy match bans, suspended prison sentences and hundreds of hours of unpaid work were handed out to Shrewsbury Town fans who clashed with Walsall rivals before a League One game on October 14 last year.
A man fell on top of Constable Lee Saunders as he tried to restore order during the violent skirmish which started in front of horrified shoppers in Mardol, Shrewsbury, before spilling out across Smithfield Road, bringing traffic to a standstill and costing nearly £60,000 of public money to deal with
Nine men appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday, for the second of three days of sentencing, after eight pleaded guilty to violent disorder and another admitted encouraging violent disorder.
The court watched CCTV of the ugly scene which involved multiple fights with men kicking, punching and flooring one another as the out of control crowd descended down the street.
Sentencing Judge Graham Cliff said: "This was in a public place where members of the public were no doubt frightened, inconvenienced and in which a police officer was injured."
He said the brawl was not pre-planned and he passed sentences on each individual based on their level of involvement.
Talal Alsadek, 29, of Farran Grove, Shrewsbury, was charged only with encouraging violent disorder and was ordered to complete 250 hours unpaid work, pay £500 costs and received a four year ban from attending regulated football matches.
Luke Dodd, 25, of Sutton Way, Shrewsbury said he was "absolutely intoxicated" during the brawl as it was his birthday weekend.
Judge Cliff said Dodd's violence was "the worst he had seen so far" on the CCTV which captured him punching and kicking a man on the ground.
He was jailed for 18 months and banned from football games for six years.
Also sent to prison was Jodie Forbes, 37, of York Road, Shrewsbury, who had previously been before the courts after a pitch invasion when Shrewsbury played Crewe Alexandra in 2012. Forbes was jailed for nine months and got a six year match ban.
Russell Wilson, 47, of The Maitlands, Dorrington, was told by Judge Cliff he was "too old for this sort of thing" and given a six month prison sentence suspended for two years, ordered to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work and banned from going to watch football for four years.
Andrew Copeland, 39, of Lutwyche Road, Church Stretton received a nine month prison sentence suspended for two years, 200 hours of unpaid work, a four year ban and must pay costs of £500.
Calum Marsh, 23, of Keelton Close, Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury received a six month prison sentence suspended for two years. He must carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and is banned for four years.
Callum Gwilliams, 19, of Whitemere Road, Shrewsbury, was sentenced to six months in a young offenders institute suspended for 12 months, 200 hours of unpaid work and a four year ban.
Judge Cliff said Simon Llewellyn, 34, of Berwick Avenue, Coton Hill had an "appalling criminal record" of 64 offences resulting in 33 sets of convictions, including a previous four year ban on football matches. He was banned for the same period again and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 costs.
The sentencing of Ross Gall, 29, of George Street, Weston Super Mare was adjourned until November 29.
Prosecuting, Mr Phillip Beardwell said: "Constable Saunders not only suffered a break to the leg but damage to the knee. He has taken a lot of time to recover. As a foot or beat officer he needs to be someone who is physically fit to do his job and he has not been able to return to full duty."
Extra policing to end the mayhem and arrest those responsible cost £24,000 and the subsequent criminal investigation cost another £30,000.
The Crown Prosecution Service used a further £5,600 to prepare each case for sentencing, bringing the total amount of tax payer's money spent as a result of the brawl to £59,600.
Walsall fans involved in the brawl will be sentenced today
Shrewsbury and Walsall this week drew each other in the FA cup so will face one another again in the first round.
