Coleraine Football Club fan who attacked Larne supporter near Inver Park is given three year football ban

A Coleraine football fan who attacked a Larne supporter following an Irish League match has been hit with a three year Football Banning Order.

James Shaw (18), of Mount Street Mews in Coleraine, admitted assault and being disorderly near Larne's Inver Park stadium on Saturday October 1 last year. Larne won the match 2-0 and afterwards trouble erupted outside the ground.

The defendant appeared at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

A prosecutor said around 7.30pm on October 1 police "noted a commotion" at Inver Road following the match between Larne and Coleraine.

"About eight to ten young males, believed to be Coleraine fans, were in the middle of the road walking towards the town and the police observed a number of bottles being thrown towards the Larne fans who were walking on the footpath".

The prosecutor said some of the "males dispersed" when police arrived on the scene but officers managed to speak to two males believed to have been involved.

A Larne fan then approached police saying bottles had been thrown at home fans and he was "punched in the face" by Shaw in a "completely unprovoked" attack.

The prosecutor said the man had blood on his face and at that stage the victim had feared his nose may have been broken but after medical attention "that fortunately wasn't the case".

Shaw told police he had "thrown a bottle" but initially denied assaulting the victim. However, later he said he couldn't remember if he had punched the victim or not due to his "intoxication".

The prosecutor said Shaw met the criteria for a Football Banning Order as he had been at the match. She said the minimum time limit for such an Order is three years but it can rise to six years if someone is jailed.

A defence barrister said the defendant, who had a previously clear record, had turned 18 a couple of months before the incident and Shaw had told a Probation Officer of his "shame and regret" over the trouble.

The court heard the defendant has another court case due in mid-March relating to "flares at a Ballymena Coleraine match at the Showgrounds in Ballymena."

District Judge Nigel Broderick told the defendant the Larne incident was serious and involved an assault and a "high-end case" of disorderly behaviour.

He told Shaw: "You were throwing bottles at other persons who were supporting the opposition team and when you throw a bottle into the air it can have very serious consequences. You cold have hit someone on the head and caused significant injuries".

As a "direct alternative to imprisonment" the judge ordered the defendant to do 120 hours of Community Service.

The three year Football Banning Order was also handed down which means Shaw will not to be able to attend Coleraine games until it expires on March 2, 2026.