A Swansea City supporter was accosted by two Cardiff City supporters and “gave him a kicking” in the stands after the Swansea fan celebrated a last-minute goal that won the game for Cardiff.
In an assault that was captured on camera, brothers Cory Jones, 28, and Steven Jones, 34, punched, kicked, and stamped on the victim.
They have been banned from playing football for five years and received suspended prison terms.
When the Jones family went to see the south Wales derby at Cardiff City Stadium on April 1st of last year, they immediately headed for Swansea City supporter Samuel Evans.
Mr. Evans was unable to get a ticket in the away end, so he bought his ticket for the game in the Cardiff end.
Mr. Evans “instinctively” celebrated a winning Swansea goal in the 99th minute and showed off his Swansea City shirt at a sentencing hearing held at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday, March 12.
The Jones brothers then started attacking their victim by climbing over many seats.
Ben Cabango, a defender originally from Cardiff, scored the game’s final goal in the derby, helping the Swans defeat the Bluebirds 3-2.
Prosecutor Alice Sykes presented cell phone and CCTV evidence to the court, demonstrating Steven Jones initiating the initial attack prior to Cory Jones punching, kicking, and stamping the victim.
While the stewards tried to disperse the two groups of supporters, the defendants pursued Mr. Evans and persisted in punching him.
Although Mr. Evans could be seen tumbling down the stairs in the stand in the video, this was not the defendants’ fault.
Mr. Evans suffered injuries, including a hematoma to the back of his head and a red mark on his belly, and was brought to the hospital for treatment.
“The first few days after the incident I couldn’t sleep very well and the thought of going to away games makes me scared,” Mr. Evans stated in a victim statement.
“I get nervous visiting locations with rival clubs and large fan bases… I haven’t attended an away game since, and I’m afraid and nervous about it. I worry that I might run into the defendants and that I would be embarrassed if they saw me.”
Following their identification on CCTV, Steven Jones, of Morris Avenue, Penrhiwceiber, Mountain Ash, and Cory Jones, of Milbourne Street, Abercynon, were taken into custody and entered guilty pleas to assault causing real bodily harm and affray.
Defence attorney Andrew Taylor offered the following justification in mitigation: “Away fans have a special area at Cardiff’s main stadium. It is separated, and all it takes to observe the designated exits and entrances of Cardiff City Stadium is to travel on the M4 to the games.”
In response, Judge Lucy Crowther stated: “Everybody in court needs to understand whatever rules and regulations there are that does not justify someone getting a kicking because two supporters decide they don’t like them sitting there and that’s what those men did – they gave him a kicking.”
Mr. Taylor continued his mitigation by stating that his clients “hold their heads in shame” for their behavior and sincerely regret it.
Cory Jones, he claimed, was about to become a father for the fourth time and had been in the Royal Welsh Guards, but had been released for medical reasons following a horrific event.
He mentioned that Steven Jones works to provide for his family and has a small child. The attorney said that the brothers “drank too much” on the day of the game and that they had recently lost their mother.
Cory Jones received a sentence of 15 months suspended for two years, while Steven Jones received a sentence of 12 months suspended for two years. Football bans were placed on both of them for a period of five years.
Cory Jones was ordered to perform 180 hours of unpaid labor, pay £500 in restitution, and comply with a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement in addition to a 23-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
In addition to having to perform 12 hours of unpaid labor and comply with a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement, Steven Jones was also ordered to pay £500 in expenses and £500 in compensation.
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