A FOOTBALL hooligan is today banned from matches in England and Wales for three years after being drunk and abusive at Ipswich's last home game.

A FOOTBALL hooligan is today banned from matches in England and Wales for three years after being drunk and abusive at Ipswich's last home game.

The banning order against Karl Burgess is the first of its kind imposed in the town this season.

The 26-year-old yob climbed over seats at Portman Road during the Ipswich versus Coventry match on September 22. He then became abusive and made threats to stewards and pushed past police officers to avoid being arrested.

Lesla Small, prosecuting at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court said Burgess, of Rubens Road, Ipswich, had been abusive to stewards and away supporters in the past but now courts have the ability to ban hooligans for three years.

She said: “On this occasion his general behaviour in the club before the match was seen by stewards. He was climbing over seats and was warned to calm down.

“He continued swearing and shouting while there were families around and was then ejected from the football ground”.

She said police officers outside the ground tried to get Burgess' details for intelligence but he was uncooperative and abusive to police.

Burgess, who was under the influence of alcohol and was kicking at officers, was placed in leg restraints on the ground and arrested for using threatening behaviour and for obstructing police.

He pleaded guilty to both charges.

Magistrates banned him from attending any football match for three years and committed him to Ipswich Crown Court for a further hearing tomorrow because his offences breached a suspended sentence imposed for a previous offence.

Burgess will also have to surrender his passport to police when England play abroad as he is also barred from international games as part of the order.

Suffolk police's football intelligence officer Pc Marc Norman, who is based at Ipswich police station, was delighted with the magistrates' decision to enforce the ban.

He said: “I am very pleased with the outcome. I hope this will send a message to would-be offenders that we will not tolerate public disorder of any kind and that we will take them through the courts in a similar fashion.”