Three-year bans for Wolves hooligans

They were described in court as intelligent mature men - but faced with opposing football supporters, they became part of a violent mob.

Today four Wolves fans were starting a three-year ban from all matches for their part in crowd trouble during the visit of Stoke City to Molineux in February.

District judge Martin Brown said he found "utterly amazing" the number of football-related offences that involved mature men who act out of character.

Appearing at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court were three working men with families and a 21-year-old university student. All four were arrested in the aftermath of the Midlands derby on February 9.

Aaron Miller, aged 24, of The Heath, Heath Hayes, pleaded guilty to using threatening words and behaviour with the intent of putting others in fear of violence.

Keith Wilding, aged 53, of Pinfold Crescent, Merry Hill, Wolverhampton, Warren Pound, 37, of Greenacres, Ludlow, and Lee Craddock, 21, of Church Hill, Hednesford, admitted using threatening words and behaviour, causing alarm and distress.

Emma Wynne-Owen, prosecuting, said violence erupted after the game when missiles, including rocks, were thrown.

She said: "It was a large-scale disorder, with some fans becoming engaged in physical contact."

She said bricklayer Pound, a season ticket holder, and Wilding, who had not been at the match, were seen in Railway Drive, off the Ring Road, hurling threats at police officers, particularly targeting women officers.

Craddock, a forensic science student at the Central Lancashire University in Preston, and new father Miller were each among groups of fans who were hurling missiles but claim they did not throw anything themselves. Both had drank a large amount of alcohol, in Craddock's case, eight or nine pints.

None of the men knew each other and none had any previous convictions.

Sentencing them, Mr Brown said: "As a football lover, I'm utterly amazed and completely fail to understand why people like you should want to behave in the way you did."

Miller and Pound were also fined £300, Wilding £200 and Craddock £100. All had to pay a £15 surcharge and £43 costs each.