A CLARETS fan is facing jail and a football banning order after punching a female steward in the face at Turf Moor.

Craig Anthony Kershaw, 32, attacked Sharon Hartley after she asked him to leave the ground because she thought he had got in without paying.

Burnley magistrates heard Kershaw claimed he had lost his tickets, but Ms Hartley escorted him to the exit.

Kershaw, who had a young child with him and had been drinking, was also accused of calling the steward an offensive name before punching her in the face.

The defendant, of Carholme Avenue, Burnley, admitted being drunk in a sports ground, being drunk in charge of a child under seven and assault by beating before Burnley’s Premier League match against Aston Villa on November 21.

He now faces a football banning order and has been warned that he could spend Christmas in prison.

Sophie Lorimer, prosecuting, told the court that Ms Hartley saw Kershaw trying to push his way through the turnstile at the Jimmy McIlroy stand at around 3.15pm.

She told him to move away and could tell he was drunk because he smelled of alcohol and was slurring his words.

Mrs Lorimer said the defendant then went upstairs to the Foundation Centre for another drink, but was asked to leave. He made his way round to the James Hargreaves stand and Ms Hartley and a colleague followed him.

Kershaw was followed onto the upper concourse and Ms Hartley alerted CCTV operators and called for more help. The defendant was found by the CCTV cameras and the victim persuaded him to leave and followed him to the exit.

The prosecutor said once outside the defendant became abusive, turned round and hit Sharon Hartley on the left side of her face.

He was restrained by other security staff who had arrived on the scene and they then waited for the police.

Mrs Lorimer said Sharon Hartley, who had been a security supervisor at Turf Moor for about seven years, would say the assault hurt and shocked her.

Nick Dearing, for Kershaw, said on arrival at the turnstile his client found he had misplaced his tickets, so went back to the bar to try to find them, explained to the turnstile operator and was allowed in.Mr Dearing said his client would say he shoved the steward, rather than throwing a punch.

"These are offences of which he is mortally ashamed. It has really served as a wake-up call for him,” the solicitor added.

The defendant was bailed until December 17, for a pre-sentence report and was warned all options were open including custody.