45 Polish football fans appear at special court over ‘worst riot in UK for 20 years’ at Aston Villa
FORTY-FIVE Polish football fans including a woman appeared in a special court yesterday over the Aston Villa riot.
Thursday’s clashes outside the Birmingham stadium were the worst in the UK for 20 years.
A total of 46 people aged between 21 and 63 were charged — but one did not attend.
The others appeared in groups of up to five at separate hearings throughout the day.
Police said 43 were charged with public order offences, two with assaulting police and another with possessing a knife.
A district judge and several magistrates granted conditional bail to almost 30 of the accused at Birmingham crown court.
They including a 22-year-old woman from Poland who pleaded not guilty to violent disorder.
At one hearing the court was told “egregious, sustained and horrific” violence included bricks, bottles and a portable toilet being thrown at police.
It is alleged that a police van was the target of an attempted fire attack.
And a flare and a flaming flag were allegedly used to injure two officers.
Police said five officers, two police dogs and two horses were injured after violence erupted when visiting supporters were not given tickets, as arranged, to enter Villa Park for the Europa Conference League clash which Legia Warsaw lost 2-1.
Darius Buras, 57, of Birmingham, was one of the two accused of attacking police.
He denied it and was bailed. Remanded defendants were ordered to reappear on January 5.
Det Supt Jim Munro said: “To charge this number of people so soon after such a major disorder has taken a huge effort.”