Derby fan punished after PUNCHING police horse at Championship match

A 20 year old Derby County fan has been punished after PUNCHING a police horse at a Championship match earlier this year.

James Burnett lashed out at South Yorkshire Police horse ‘Bawtry’ after the thug became aggressive towards rival supporters and officers, before striking the animal, following the Nottingham Forest-Derby County match on the 22nd of January.

He has been banned from attending football matches for three years after pleading guilty to a section four public order offence, which happened on County Road in Nottingham.

Here is a video of the lovely Bawtry, waking up on the same day as being attacked by a football supporter…

#SYPMounted have just loaded the horses and on our way to ⁦@NFFC⁩ v ⁦@dcfcofficial⁩. I’ll be on my good mate Bawtry and we’ll have Billy, Foggy and Woody with us so come and say hello if you see us about. Hope you all have a safe and enjoyable day. pic.twitter.com/ys56jMQeXS

— PC Reed (@PC_Reed) January 22, 2022

The 20-year-old Rams fan, of Wood Lane, Burton upon Trent, appeared at Nottinghamshire Magistrates’ Court on the 15th of February and was made the subject of a three-year football banning order, fined £400 and told to pay a £40 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

The magistrate, Mr Farnoosh Shahrokhshahi, speaking on behalf of himself and fellow magistrate Mrs Alicia Price, said: “We must ban you so that you don’t do this ever again and to send the message out to others who may do the same. Justice must be served.

He added: “Let’s hope, Mr Burnett, that this is the very last time you come to court. The next time you would not be of previous good character.”

After a football match a few weeks ago some idiots tried to have a fight after the game and Bawtry was punched by one of them. Bawtry’s having the last laugh because we’ve just heard that he’s been banned from football for 3 years. pic.twitter.com/ImZrdX2dBp

— PC Reed (@PC_Reed) February 18, 2022

Tweeting following the sentencing, PC Phil Reed, one of South Yorkshire Police’s mounted officers, said: “After a football match a few weeks ago some idiots tried to have a fight after the game and Bawtry was punched by one of them.

“Bawtry’s having the last laugh because we’ve just heard that he’s been banned from football for three years.”

PC Reed, whose tweet was liked more than 9,000 times, said that thankfully Bawtry had not been injured in the attack and was doing fine.

POLICE STATEMENT

Two fans given banning orders for disorder after Nottingham Forest v Derby County clash

Two men have been given football banning orders after admitting their parts in disorder following the recent Nottingham Forest v Derby County fixture.

Lewis Bowater, of Belfield Road, Etwall, pleaded guilty to assault by beating after a Nottingham Forest supporter was punched in the jaw in Scarrington Road, West Bridgford, following the match on January 22.

James Burnett, of Woods Lane, Burton-upon-Trent, pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive behaviour with intent to cause fear of violence after throwing punches and kicks in the direction of police officers and horses in County Road.

Both men entered their pleas at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 15 February.

Bowater, aged 29, received a five-year football banning order and must complete 60 hours of community service. He must also pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.

Burnett, aged 20, was given a three-year football banning order and must pay a £400 fine, £40 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.

Speaking after their sentencing PC Simon Travell, of Nottinghamshire Police’s football policing unit, said: “We recognise that the vast majority of fans attending the match, did so peacefully and without becoming involved in disorder.

“We welcome these banning orders and sentences and hope they act as a warning to anyone attending a football match in the future, who may be intent on causing disorder, that they will be dealt with robustly by police football units working together.

“We want to send a clear message to fans that any reckless, disorderly or criminal behaviour will not be tolerated and that we, as a police service, will actively seek banning orders where appropriate.”

@nffc v @dcfcofficial

Thank you to all fans today. Very few arrests needed and the vast majority got behind both teams until the end.

I’m sure that if Derby do go down … Both sets of fans will really miss the day if they’re honest. pic.twitter.com/42pbh7N7zo

— NottsPolice Football (@NottPolFootball) January 22, 2022

Twitter users reacted after seeing a Derby fan punished after PUNCHING a police horse at a Championship match earlier this season…

@alisonelsayed: Punching a horse…. 😔 What do people have in their heads? probably very little..

@ZaynafamilyMary: Who in their right mind could hurt our beautiful Bawtry? I’m glad that piece of work has been banned. Hope B
Our gorgeous boy is doing well today and tucked up with his friends 💙

@KarenThacker11: Pity Bawtry is too well mannered to give him a kick. I do hope he is ok. How could anyone hit such a beautiful horse ?!

@CfcCrookes: He probably thought a fly had flown in to him. What a plum thinking it is clever to hit a horse in the first place

@alucascollier: Bawtry is beautiful how could anyone punch him 😍

@sedgynffc: Shame your horse didn’t give him a quick kick

@space19701: Proper justice that!

@Finders82: Don’t understand people punching animals. Good work bawtry, karma got him in the end

@DavidFl62347328: He should be done for animal cruelty too and they should have let bawtry give him a kick back

@dinkypinkygirly: How could anyone do that to Bawtry? Poor lad.

@karenwr75084451: 😡🤬 makes me furious and what happened to proper punishments? Goodness I don’t know how you do your job. So glad Bawtry is ok now. 💙💙

@PaulMar32364448: Good. Glad he has been banned. Poor Bawtry. Why hit a lovely horse. Hope he’s OK

@SingingDri: 3yrs ban is nothing. Also a long spell in prison should have been given. Punching a beautiful horse is violence. Hope you are ok Bawtry. Keep safe. Thanks for all the work you do keeping us safe. Sending you a hug x

@ggor82: Poor Bawtry, a lifetime ban would be more appropriate

@JaneRus96694746: That is absolutely NOT acceptable, sorry a football ban isn’t enough, a custodial sentence would be better along with being double barrelled by Bawtry. Pleased that he’s ok though.