Football fan who did somersaults on pitch gets three-year banning order
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Version 0 of 1. A football fan who ran on to a pitch topless and performed somersaults during an FA Cup match has received a three-year banning order. Charlie Sumner, 20, staged a one-man invasion at Reading’s Madejski stadium during their quarter-final replay against Bradford City last month. The Reading supporter, nicknamed Pudding, whose team were 3-0 up at the time, did four front flips on the pitch, landing on his back each time, before he was tackled by stewards. The match on 16 March was broadcast live to millions of viewers on BBC1, while footage of Sumner’s antics went viral on the internet. A banning order for three years was imposed at Reading magistrates court on Thursday. He was also fined £265. Sumner’s solicitor entered a guilty plea on his behalf at an earlier hearing to one count of going on to a playing area at a football match under the Football Offences Act 1991. Sumner, from Woodley in Reading, was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £27 victim surcharge. He said afterwards that he planned to appeal against his sentence. “I think that I’ve been made an example of and that both the banning order and the fine are harsh,” he said. “I apologise to anyone I may have offended but the reason for going on the pitch was to celebrate. I’ve had my five minutes of fame and I won’t be doing it again.” Louise Attrill, prosecuting, said Sumner had attended the match with friends and climbed over a chain barrier on to the pitch at about 9.15pm. “He somersaulted three or four times before running up to the Bradford supporters, shaking his fist in a ‘wanker’ gesture at them. He was taken off the pitch by stewards and arrested.” Attrill said while it might appear to be an isolated incident by a person of good character, it could have triggered more widespread disorder. She said Sumner had gone on to appear in articles in the press and, in one interview, asked if he would do it again, said: “Yeah, maybe.” She added: “It is quite clear he enjoyed the attention he received that day.” He had been pictured outside the court before with his thumbs up. “It could be argued that this is showing disrespect to the justice system. It almost makes a mockery of the system, and because this is in the media, this behaviour should be cracked down on, he should be made an example of. “The police are taking it very seriously and the court should take it very seriously. This kind of behaviour can cause a lot of disruption.” Related: Reading v Bradford City: FA Cup quarter-final replay – as it happened Sally Thomson, defending, said the crowd reacted in an encouraging and positive manner. “It seems he did have some official encouragement,” she said. A Guardian minute-by-minute report of the game said circus music was turned on when he went on, and Sumner performed gymnastics to it. Sumner, who works as a dry liner, is a lifelong amateur footballer, and represented Reading Schools in a national final in 2006. Supporting Reading on 16 March was a one-off by Sumner, who is a Liverpool fan and not a regular attender at football matches, Thomson said. The presiding magistrate, Paul Dick, told Sumner: “You understand football and what public order and public disorder can be all about in a situation like that. We have no sympathy for you at all.” |