Niall Dixon was caught throwing a chip at away fans at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium (Pictures: Getty/MEN media)
A Manchester City fan has been banned from going to football matches for three years after throwing a chip and trying to headbutt a police officer.
Niall Dixon, 20, was spotted hurling the chip at BSC Young Boys fans during their Champions League clash on November 7 last year.
The Swiss club’ were playing Manchester City at Etihad Stadium and their so-called’s so-called had already caused mayhem on the streets of Manchester before the match and also ran riot afterwards.
It was during the second half of the match, which Manchester City won 3-0, that officers saw Dixon hurl an ‘item’ at the away fans.
When told to leave, he resisted and during the struggle attempted to headbutt one of the officers.
The same officer also suspects he may have tried to bite him, which Dixon denied.
At a sentencing hearing yesterday, Dixon told the court: ‘They threw chips at me, I picked up some of those chips and I threw one back.’
BDC Young Boys supporters at the UEFA Champions League between the Swiss team and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on November 7, 2023. (Photo by Oli Scarff/ AFP)
He pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker and throwing a missile contrary to the Football Offences Act 1991, and was handed a community order and a three-year Football Banning Order.
Stuart Neale, prosecuting said a group of 200 Young Boys ‘Ultras’ wearing all blackand face masks had already tried to force their way through the entrances and attacked police officers and stadium staff in the process.
During the first half, several items were thrown including flares and lighters, which led to some Young Boys fans being ejected.
It was at around 9.15pm when Dixon, who appeared to be ‘agitated’ came to the attention of police.
Mr Neale said: ‘He was walking up to, and away from, the segregated area and seemed to be gesticulating to the away fans and goading them. He was then seen to throw a small item at the away fans.’
Dixon then moved away from the area as officers followed and tried to physically stop him, the court heard.
Dixon, pictured outside court, said away fans threw chips at him so he hurled one back at them (Picture: MEN Media)
To prevent being moved, he grabbed hold of a metal bar, while other fans got involved to try and release the officers’ grip on him.
Mr Neale said: ‘The defendant was resisting them and told one: “Get the f*** off me”. He attempted to headbutt him but the officer was able to move.
‘He then moved his head towards his face and the officer believed he was trying to bite him.’
Dixon later said in a basis of plea document that he was not trying to bite the officer, but accepted the officer may have thought differently.
Mr Neale added that matters such as this could cause ‘escalation’ during football matches.
Dixon has no previous convictions on his record, the court was told.
Craig MacGregor, mitigating, said that the Young Boys Ultras had previously been ‘ripping up seats and throwing them’ at home fans.
Mr MacGregor said: ‘This defendant was not leading a mob. He was sat next to the segregated Young Boys fans.
‘It was the Young Boys Ultra fans bringing their aggression and their violence to Manchester.’
Manchester City and BCS Young Boys players playing at Etihad Stadium on November 7 (Picture: Getty Images Europe)
He said Dixon was ‘hard-working and conscientious’, with an ‘unblemished’ character, who had lost his job as a landscaper in December due to it being the ‘wrong time of year’.
Mr MacGregor said: ‘It’s clear he shouldn’t have goaded those Ultras and he shouldn’t have had the temerity to throw what he threw.
‘Yes, it’s a missile, but here we are.’
Mr MacGregor said he understood the behaviour towards the officer was ‘not acceptable’, and said Dixon wished to apologise to those involved.
Mr MacGregor added: ‘He is a City fan – his beloved. He is going to be hurt now they are champions.
‘Remember what he did – he acted on the temerity to throw a chip after being pelted for over an hour by Young Boys fans. He shouldn’t have done it.’
Sitting as both a Recorder and a District Judge, Recorder Wells said he accepted that because it was just a single chip thrown culpability was low, however, added: ‘It only takes a person like you to do something like that with a potato chip for some hothead nearby to throw something bigger.’
BCS Young Boys so-called Ultra fans caused chaos in the city before the match at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester and after (Picture: Getty Images Europe)
In reference to the head but attempt, he said: ‘You undoubtedly put fear of violence towards this officer – it was disgraceful behaviour as you have acknowledged in your letter to me.’
Dixon, of Glossop, Derbyshire, was sentenced to a 12-month community order, 75 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days for the assault on the officer.
He was fined £66 for throwing the ‘missile’ and banned from going to all football matches for three years under the terms of a Football Banning Order.
Recorder Wells added: ‘I’m sorry. I understand you are a Manchester City fan and this is a time in the year when support is most welcome.’
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