Pc tells jury of terrifying clash between rival football thugs

One policeman described the clashes as “the most frightening experience” of his career and the manageress of the Waterloo pub on Wakefield Road, Huddersfield, said she felt sick to her stomach.

Bystanders caught up in the early evening violence before the sides’ League One match last April described feeling scared as around 60 men fought running battles.

A jury at Bradford Crown Court was yesterday shown CCTV footage of fighting and missile throwing which began after three minibuses containing Millwall fans stopped opposite the pub where Huddersfield fans were drinking.

Manageress Joanne Garner had seen some “lads” gesturing at a Millwall coach and then 15 minutes later she heard a male voice shout “They’re here.”

She said there was a mass rush by a group of young men towards the exit of the pub. She told a man who had armed himself with a pool cue that he was not going out with it but he pushed her away.

Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed said six Millwall supporters and 13 Huddersfield fans had already pleaded guilty to involvement in the clashes, but Millwall fan Grant Mason, 42, from Beckenham, Kent, went on trial yesterday after he denied a charge of violent disorder.

Married father-of-two Mason, who runs a scaffolding business, claims that he was defending himself or others, but Mr Ahmed said his actions went beyond self defence.

“You will hear how the police were initially significantly out-numbered and how it took the police some time and a great number of officers being deployed before any sort of order could be regained,” Mr Ahmed told the court.

“It was only when some semblance of order was restored that people from neighbouring businesses and residential properties next to the Waterloo public house and passing motorists were able to come forward and give their evidence of how terrified they had been whilst the violence unfolded and the damage caused to property.”

Mr Ahmed alleged that Mason was involved in a fight with two other males and that he threw one punch.

Pc Mark Coulson, who attended the disturbance with a Special constable, requested urgent assistance after a beer glass smashed nearby.

The constable said: “Missiles were raining down and they were coming from both sets of males,” he said. “It was impossible to regain order.”

Grant Mason told the jury that he was a member of the Executive Club at Millwall and had provided sponsorship and help with scaffolding work at The New Den ground.

He said he was chairman of a youth football team and said being a part-time football hooligan was against everything he believed in instilled in the children.

Mason said he had not been expecting any trouble as he travelled in the minibus and it was as he was chatting with another supporter and his son that everyone started screaming.

He described the scene as “mayhem” but denied that he had thrown a punch at anyone.

He grabbed a fellow Millwall supporter, who was using excessive violence on a Town fan, and had thrown him to the ground, he said. He then walked around the periphery making sure no-one was getting hurt.

Asked about his attitude to violence, Mason replied: “I don’t condone it in any shape or form. I’ve never been a violent man. All it does is sully the name of Millwall.”

The trial continues.