A judge has banned a man from going to football matches for five years for throwing a flare on to the pitch at a Brighton and Hove Albion game.
Adam Chisnall, 38, pleaded guilty to throwing a flare on to the pitch when Brighton beat Manchester United 4-0 at the end of last season.
He also admitted having a flare inside the ground – the Amex stadium in Falmer – on Saturday 7 May when his case was heard at Brighton Magistrates’ Court in June.
But Chisnall, of Canada Close, Warrington, argued that he should not be banned from matches in future.
Magistrates considered his plea at a hearing last month – on Wednesday 7 September – but banned him for three years.
The court also fined him £184.50 and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £34 victim surcharge.
He appealed against his sentence but – at Lewes Crown Court on Monday (24 October) – Judge Stephen Mooney gave him a longer ban instead, increasing it to five years.
Sussex Police said today (Thursday 27 October): “A football fan who ignited two flares at the Amex Community Stadium in Brighton has lost his appeal.
“Adam Chisnall was clearly seen on CCTV holding a flare in the away supporters’ section of the stadium during a fixture between Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester United on Saturday 7 May.
“Then at full time he was seen approaching the playing area where he lit a second device and threw it on to the playing area.
“(He) was arrested by police and was charged with possessing a flare at a sporting event and throwing a missile on to the football playing area.
“At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 7 September … Chisnall was (made) the subject of a three-year ‘football banning order’ which restricts his access to attending matches or being in the location of matches.
“He appealed … Chisnall was told that, as a result of his appeal, the football banning order was to be extended by a further two years and a further £60 fine was imposed.”
PC Darren Balkham, from Sussex Police, said: “I welcome the crown court’s dismissal of this appeal.
“This was not just a moment of madness. There were two incidents of not only having the devices in the stadium but igniting them.
“It meant people near by had to move away because of the smoke and then the second one was thrown onto the playing area.
“For Chisnall, this has proved a costly venture and he now has no prospect of watching football until 2027.
“We support the Premier League’s approach in dealing with these incidents and will prosecute where the evidence supports this action.”
