By Chris Story

Last updated at 23:49, Tuesday, 16 September 2008

A terrified mum had to curl on the ground and shield her young daughter from violent football thugs as they battled in a Carlisle bar.

• Video: watch the official police CCTV footage

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Michelle Casey was injured as she protected seven-year-old Chelsea while her husband Neville pulled son Ben, four, to safety as Newcastle and Carlisle United fans clashed in Pippins.

She described the violence as “like something out of a western saloon bar”. Her children remain traumatised by the violence they witnessed.

Ten Newcastle United fans were sentenced yesterday for their part in the trouble, which flared as the Premiership club played Carlisle in a pre-season friendly at Brunton Park in July last year.

Shocking CCTV footage showed the thugs brawling – with chairs being hurled in and out the pub’s door.

A judge described the disturbance as a disgrace to Carlisle as police pledged to strike hard against soccer hooligans.

The men brought to justice – some of whom had previous convictions for football-related disorder – are now banned from attending football matches and will have to do a total of nearly 1,200 hours of unpaid community work. Some also face hefty fines.

And Judge Peter Hughes QC said that, although no Carlisle fans appeared in court, they would have faced prison had they been apprehended and it proved they were involved in pre-planning the fight.

CCTV cameras filmed the Newcastle fans walking through The Lanes Shopping Centre towards Pippins, Lowther Street, at about 4.40pm on July 21, while their team was still playing Carlisle.

Fighting erupted as they tried to walk in the pub, with chairs, bottles and punches being thrown as frightened onlookers cowered inside.

It was claimed at Carlisle Crown Court that the Newcastle fans had been duped into going to Pippins by being told strippers were performing there, only to discover that was a lie and violent Carlisle supporters were waiting instead when they got there.

As the trouble started, one person was heard shouting: “Three, two, one – go get them.”

Prosecutor Tim Storrie said: “All hell broke loose. It was what one could describe as a saloon bar brawl.”

He told how, as the fighting broke out, Mrs Casey fell to the floor, covered her daughter and pleaded: “My children are here. Please stop.”

Speaking after yesterday’s sentencing, Mrs Casey said her family had been enjoying a day out and had gone to Pippins for something to eat.

But she and her husband sensed a strange atmosphere– especially after spotting blood-stained Carlisle fans arriving. Her children narrowly avoided being hurt.

Mrs Casey, 33, of Carlisle, said: “There was fighting everywhere. I could hear my son screaming. My daughter was screaming.

“I have never been as scared as I was that day. My children are still talking about it. It has not been forgotten.”

She sustained cuts on her arms from broken glass and added: “I only have little scars, but they are still there.

“Football is supposed to be a family game – entertainment. To me, this was an organised fight.”

Sentencing, Judge Hughes said families were reluctant to go to football games because of violence and hooliganism.

He added: “It is a blight on the English Football League. It is a matter of great disgrace for all those involved with it.

“The violence had kicked-off before the match had even finished.

“Young families were in there, quite innocently enjoying themselves and in no way concerned about the football match taking place down the road.

They were traumatised by the events that took place.

“It is a matter of deep regret and disgrace to the city of Carlisle that it would seem some of the instigators of the violence came from the Carlisle side and were already in the pub.”

Those sentenced yesterday, all of whom pleaded guilty to affray, were:

• Graeme Carter, 25, of Stanley, County Durham. He was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work in the community, received a three-year football banning order and must pay £600 prosecution costs.

• Raymond Galbraith, 36, of Wardley, Gateshead – 160 hours unpaid work; four-year banning order; £1,200 fine; £600 costs.

• Trevor Reed, 43, of Dipton, County Durham – 12-month supervision order; curfew ordering him to stay indoors between 8pm and 6am for the next 12 weeks; four-year banning order; £600 costs.

• Robert Dixon, 25, of Tanfield Lea, Stanley, County Durham – 80 hours unpaid work; three-year banning order; £600 costs.

• Anthony Hamilton, 34, of Cochrane Park, Newcastle – 160 hours unpaid work; four-year banning order; £1,200 fine; £600 costs.

• Simon Chollerton, 38, of High Street, Tow Low, County Durham – 80 hours unpaid work; three-year banning order; £1,600 fine; £600 costs.

• James Mullarkey, 24, of Hall Terrace, Gateshead – 160 hours unpaid work; three-year banning order; £600 costs.

• Mark Barrett, 32, of Lichfield Crescent, Gateshead – 80 hours unpaid work; three-year banning order; £600 costs.

• John Wood, 24, of Wardley, Gateshead – 160 hours unpaid work; four-year banning order; £600 costs.

• Richard Carter, 37, of Tanfield Lea, Stanley – 160 hours unpaid work; three-year banning order; £600 costs.

Police in Carlisle and Newcastle worked closely to trace the thugs, and say that when violence occurs they will bring those responsible before the courts.

PC Ian Caddle, who led the investigation, said: “This was an horrendous incident for everybody involved inside the pub, which has quite badly affected a number of the families who were there.

“We hope to send out a strong message – not only to those from the Carlisle area but to visiting football fans – that we will not tolerate people coming to Carlisle and causing trouble.”

First published at 11:46, Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk