Two men have received four-year football banning orders following violence at a match.
Matthew Butler, 37, of Hawkins Road, Tilgate, Crawley, and Jamie Simpson, 22, of Jewel Walk, Bewbush, Crawley, were involved in a fight at a football match at Broadfield Stadium, Crawley, in the home end after a group of Newport County fans were discovered in the stand, on October 16 last year.
Butler and Simpson were charged after being identified through CCTV. The men appeared at Brighton Magistrates' Court, sitting as a crown court on Thursday, where they were sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work, £900 in costs and the football banning orders.
The pair had previously pleaded guilty to using or threatening unlawful violence towards another person that would make them fear for their personal safety.
A Sussex Police spokesman said: “We will not tolerate violence or obscene language at football matches and will actively look to arrest anyone who insists on displaying such behaviour.
“This type of behaviour from so-called football fans not only reflects badly on the clubs they claim to support, but also on the game as a whole.”
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