A BLACKBURN Rovers fan who ran onto the Ewood Park pitch with two flares towards the end of the grudge match against Burnley has been banned from all matches for three years.

Blackburn magistrates heard Rovers were 1-0 down but pressing for an equaliser when Jamie Lewis Webb disrupted the televised game which ended as a win for Burnley.

Webb, 34, of Bolton Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to entering the playing area at a designated football match and possessing a smoke flare. He was fined £532 with £85 costs and a £213 victim surcharge. The football banning order was made for the minimum period of three years.

Jane Rappin, prosecuting, said Webb had entered the pitch from the lower tier of the Jack Walker Stand. He ignited one flare and ran up the pitch before being detained close to the halfway line.

“He dropped the flare which continued to discharge smoke and the match had to be stopped,” said Miss Rappin. “Police described the derby match as a high-risk event and more than 500 officers had been on duty.”

She quoted police figures which showed an increase of over 107 per cent in pitch invasions, and incidents involving pyrotechnics had increased by 118 per cent.

Miss Rappin said more and more fixtures were having to be policed.

“To try and tackle the ongoing threat football banning orders are being sought on conviction,” said Miss Rappin. “They send a clear message that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated.”

Damien Pickup, defending, said his client was a life-long Rovers fan who had no previous convictions and had never come to the attention of the police football intelligence officers.

“The combination of alcohol and the emotion of the occasion got the better of him,” said Mr Pickup.

“During the match he was handed two flares, one white, one blue, and he was dared to go onto the pitch.”

Mr Pickup said it was significant that having entered the playing area close to the Darwen End, where the Burnley fans were, he had run away from them.

“He did not threaten anyone,” said Mr Pickup. “He activated the white flare but didn’t have chance to do the same with the blue one.”

He said his client was married with three children and in full-time employment.

“He is extremely embarrassed and to this day still doesn’t know why he behaved in this way,” added Mr Pickup.