Football fans sentenced for afternoon street violence in Huddersfield

Trouble erupted on May 19 after many of those involved had been watching a televised match between Blackpool and West Ham in different public houses.

About 4pm the group from Leeds left the pub and gathered in Market Street and fighting broke out when the Huddersfield contingent appeared.

“It was a serious offence of violent disorder,” said Judge Geoffrey Marson QC sentencing at Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

“About 40 youths and men were involved fighting, throwing punches, bottles, pieces of wood and shop signs, mindless senseless violence is used.”

He said frightened members of the public had to seek refuge in doorways while shopkeepers closed doors and pulled down shutters.

The violence continued into Westgate where others became involved and cctv captured one man being kicked on the ground. Commending those involved in the investigation Judge Marson said “This was relatively prolonged mob violence.”

The seven from Huddersfield were Jeremy McDonald, 45 of Gramfield Road, Crosland Moor jailed for 26 months for violent disorder, Andrew Marshall, 48 of Bath Street, sent to prison for 21 months after admitting violent disorder and affray, Neil Doyle, 31 of Wakefield Road, admitted violent disorder and affray and was jailed for 18 months; Darren Judge, 21 of Queen Elizabeth Gardens, Huddersfield, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was jailed for 15 months; Samuel Mcquitty, 27 of Ruskin Grove, Deighton, sent to prison for 15 months after admitting affray; Gavin Greig, 20 of Arthur Street, Golcar was given 15 months in a young offender institution for violent disorder and affray, and Richard Gough, 48, of Leeds Road, Deighton, sentenced to nine months in prison for affray.

The judge had already given custodial sentences the previous day to 12 Leeds fans and two Bradford City supporters with whom some of the group were involved in a further confrontation at the Railway station. He also sentenced a 17 year old Leeds supporter to six months detention and training order yesterday for affray.