A SOCCER lout given a "super" football banning order after confronting a rival player flouted it by going to a family gathering.

Clarets fan Michael Lewis, 43, was given the 10-year order after the Burnley v Blackburn clash at Turf Moor last February when he ran on to the pitch and confronted Rovers player Robbie Savage.

He was also jailed for five months for using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, and police assault.

Under the order, Lewis is not allowed in Burnley town centre, or to go near the ground, for three hours before or after a match.

But he fell foul of the ban when he met up with his sister for their traditional Boxing Day get-together at a club near Turf Moor, when Burnley played Stoke City, the town's magistrates heard.

Jobless Lewis, who had met police in the street but not been challenged, kept his freedom even though the bench warned him he could have gone to jail.

The bench chairman said the breach appeared to be a genuine misunderstanding. He said the bench was departing from the normal punishment because they believed it was not intentional but added if he did it again, he would not be getting just a fine.

Lewis, of Colne Road, Earby, admitted failing to comply with the banning order, last December 26. He was fined £150 and told to pay £55 costs.

Carl Gaffney, prosecuting, told the court Lewis had previously been made subject to a banning order and had breached it. This was the first time he had flouted the latest order.

Mr Gaffney said: "There is no suggestion he was involved in any kind of disorder. He was in a forbidden area which he shouldn't have been.

"He says he understood he was simply not allowed to go to football matches in the 10-year period."

Dylan Bradshaw, defending, said Lewis met up with his sister and her husband at Plumbe Street Miners' Club every Boxing Day.

The club was relatively close to Turf Moor. Lewis met his sister at the club, stayed there, wished her compliments of the season and then went home.

Lewis did not believe he was doing anything wrong.