Soccer hooligan begs not to be jailed

Soccer hooligan begs not to be jailed as he would miss his 'little dog who is like a son'
Published Date: 28 October 2009
A SOCCER hooligan who breached his Football Banning Order for the third time when he went to a match at Blackpool pleaded not to be sent to prison because he would miss his little dog.
Michael Lewis was put on the order after drunkenly invading the pitch during a match at Burnley Football Club's home ground where he assaulted two police officers.Lewis, a jobless 47-year-old grandfather, of the Station Hotel, Earby, admitted failing to comply with a Football Banning Order. He was sentenced to eight weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work for the community, put on a year's supervision and told to pay £85 costs by Blackpool magistrates.Prosecutor Mr John Beggs said, in 2005, Lewis was made the subject of a 10-year Football Banning Order by Burnley magistrates after being convicted of invading the pitch at Turf Moor, behaving in a threatening manner and assaulting two police officers.One of the order's conditions prohibited him from attending football matches but on August 15th, Blackpool were playing at home at Bloomfield Road against Cardiff and Lewis was a spectactor.At 4-20 p.m., police saw Lewis, who appeared to be arguing with a steward. The steward told officers he believed Lewis had had too much to drink and had asked him to leave.When Lewis's details were checked he was found to be on a Football Banning Order. He had two previous convictions for breaching the order.Lewis told magistrates he had come to the resort with his dog for a four-day break. He met a man who invited him to go to the match.He bought a small bottle of wine at the game, which he put in his back pocket, but a steward saw the bottle and called the police.Lewis said: "I was not drunk, I was just a bit fresh. I thought my banning order was just for Burnley matches and international matches."I would not like to go to prison today. Years ago, I would not have bothered, but I now have a little dog, who is like a son to me, and I would miss him."Miss Leisa Splaine (defending) told magistrates: "He says he has supported Burnley from age three to four. They have been his team for life."He says he has tried to comply with the order. He did not go to Wembley last season for what he described as the biggest game of Burnley's history, where they got promotion. He says he thought the order only applied to Burnley and international matches."