Man who rushed field to target Rio spared jail time
Friday 04 January 2013
Printable
EmailA Manchester City fan who rushed the field shouting abuse at player Rio Ferdinand last month narrowly avoided prison today.
Matthew Stott, 21, was given a suspended 56-day sentence at Manchester magistrates' court along with a three-year match ban.
TV footage showed Mr Stott, who had drunk eight pints of lager before kick-off, storming the field in an attempt to get at the United defender.
Mr Stott, of Southfields, Knutsford, pleaded guilty to encroaching on the field of play and using insulting words or behaviour during the incident on December 9.
As well as the football ban and suspended jail sentence he was ordered to do 120 hours community service, must pay £145 in costs and faces an 8pm to 6am home curfew for the next three months.
An "extremely ashamed" Stott issued a public apology the day after the match.
Crowds have frequently targeted Mr Ferdinand for his refusal to accept racist abuse.
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