England : Seven teenagers convicted after mass football-related brawl in Blackburn town centre - 30/09/2015Source : http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk
SEVEN teenagers have been convicted of committing violent disorder following a mass football-related brawl in Blackburn town centre.
Preston Crown Court heard how groups of young men with links to Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End clashed after converging to watch a band called The Enemy.
Police launched an investigation following the disorder involving approximately 20 teenagers on Church Street. A judge has now locked up five of those men, whilst two others were given suspended jail terms.
Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Zoe Russo, of Blackburn CID, said: “The behaviour of these individuals was completely unacceptable and we have carried out a thorough investigation in order to bring those responsible to justice for their actions.
“These sentences sent out a clear message that serious disorder will not be tolerated on the streets of East Lancashire and anyone who engages in such disorder can expect to be dealt with robustly.”
DS Russo said it was lucky nobody had been seriously injured in the brawl, which happened around 7.30pm on Saturday, June 7, of last year. There had been no football match earlier that day.
For their part in the brawl Ashley Hughes-Carr, 19, of Lockhart Road, Preston; Ben Bradbury, 19, of Liddington Close, Blackburn; Lewis Crabtree, 19, of Mariecourt Avenue, Blackburn; Leon Mulleny, 19, of Norfolk Street, Blackburn; and Travis Gorzella, 19, of Whalley New Road, Blackburn; were all given eight months in a young offenders’ institution. Ellis McGovern, 19, of Navigation Way, Preston; and Kristian Rawcliffe, 18, of Woodbury Avenue, Blackburn were both given nine-month suspended sentences.
After pleading guilty to violent disorder at earlier hearings, two 18-year-old men, who can not be named for legal reasons were given 12 month youth offender contracts.
A 17-year-old man was given a youth referral order after admitting the same offence.
Mark Riley, 19, of Blackburn was formally found not guilty of a charge of violent disorder, having been bound over to keep the peace in the sum of £250 at an earlier hearing in June.
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