A Blackburn Rovers steward was kicked in the mouth as he helped remove Shaun Colin Bolton from Ewood Park during the game against Manchester United.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Bolton, a Manchester fan, had gone into the Walker Steel Stand where the Blackburn fans were situated.

And he became aggressive when stewards tried to physically remove him from the ground.

Bolton, 29, of Eachill Road, Rishton, pleaded guilty to assaulting Stuart Cocker and was given a conditional discharge for 12 months.

He was ordered to pay £100 compensation to Mr Cocker and £40 costs.

The magistrates also made an exclusion order banning him from all league football grounds for the next six months.

Sylvia Dacre, prosecuting, said Mr Cocker had responded to a report of a man causing a disturbance in the Walker Steel Stand. When asked to produce his ticket, Bolton said someone had taken it off him, which Mr Cocker knew would not have happened.

"The stewards decided Bolton had to be ejected from the ground and as Mr Cocker took hold of his leg Bolton kicked out and struck Mr Cocker in the face," said Miss Dacre.

"He suffered a split lip and the officer who arrested Bolton confirms in his statement that when he arrived Mr Cocker was trying to stem the flow of blood from his injury."

She said that when interviewed Bolton said he had drunk six pints of super strength lager before the game. Brent Patterson, defending, said it had been an isolated incident when Bolton, who was clearly a Manchester United supporter, had gone into the Blackburn Rovers' end.

"This was a very unwise action which caused some aggravation," said Mr Patterson.

"He was spat upon and I can understand why the stewards wanted to escort him away. What my client objected to was that they wanted to escort him out of the ground."

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