Football fan fined after attack

A FOOTBALL fan has been shown a red card by the courts after attacking a stranger when England lost a penalty shoot-out.

Kevin Stiff failed to take the defeat by Portugal in Euro 2004 with good sportsmanship and is today paying for his dissent.

He now has to pay £100 compensation to his victim and has to do community service as punishment for his crime.

South East Suffolk magistrates in Ipswich hear how Stiff, 25, punched a fellow England supporter in an unprovoked attack on June 24 – the day Portugal broke the hearts of millions of English fans by beating Sven Goran Eriksson's men 6 – 5 in a penalty shoot-out.

The defeat meant the national team failed to reach the semi-finals of the summer tournament.

It was two doses of bad luck for victim Andrew Smith who was assaulted by Stiff in Ipswich town centre after the game.

Stiff, of Dewar Lane, Kesgrave, pleaded guilty to the attack at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

He and a group of approximately ten friends approached Smith and his cousin at the Butter Market.

The two groups had watched the tension-filled match at different pubs in the town.

Stiff, a welder fabricator, barged into Smith, swore at him and told him to get out of his way.

Smith did not retaliate but was punched twice in the mouth by Stiff, who then ran away.

Police caught Stiff's group later that night and he was picked out in an identity parade.

Roger Stewart, mitigating, blamed Stiff's behaviour on alcohol.

He said he has no recollection of the evening after leaving the Curve Bar, Princes Street, where he had been watching the game.

Magistrates decided to make Stiff pay through his wallet and by doing community service work.

He has been ordered to pay £43 costs and £100 compensation and instructed to do 80 hours voluntary work as part of a community punishment order.