The Nottingham Forest thug Robert Biggs has been named, shamed, and jailed for his headbutt on Sheffield United’s Billy Sharp.
Biggs, 30, of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, is to spend 24 weeks behind bars after pleading guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court to occasioning actual bodily harm.
Biggs, also a season ticket holder at the City Ground, was sentenced for five-and-a-half months after he admitted to the charge and also admitted going on to the playing area at the match.
During the court appearance, he was informed that a separate charge of illegally entering the playing surface had been removed. He did not oppose an application for a banning order from future football matches.
BREAKING: A man has been jailed for headbutting Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp during a pitch invasion after a match on Tuesday night.
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Marianne Connally, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, said: “This was an extremely serious and unprovoked assault with a professional footballer standing at the side of the pitch left requiring stitches.
“Biggs has soured what should have been an incredible moment for the club and its fans. As a result of his actions, he won’t be able to enjoy seeing his club compete in the Premier League should Forest win the Championship play-off final.
“The CPS has been working alongside the police to ensure that this unacceptable act of violence has been dealt with quickly and decisively. Sporting events are occasions for the whole community to enjoy. Football banning orders are an important way to ensure those who cross the line at matches do not have the opportunity to put others at risk.”
Sharp, 36, a former Forest player, was standing in the dugout as the pitch invasion unfolded minding his own business, seeing what just played out. In footage that went viral online, Biggs charged towards him at full speed with his head, knocking the forward to the ground and leaving players nearby shocked and wondering is Sharp was alright.
The footballer wrote on Twitter that “one mindless idiot ruined what was an unbelievable night of football.” He said: “As an ex-Forest player I will not let one scumbag ruin my respect for the Forest fans.”
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom described how Sharp was blindsided after the match. “Bill was minding his own business, off the pitch. Trying to get our players away and he was assaulted, blind-sided. It was cowardly,” he said.
“He was knocked to the ground, needs stitches. Really shook up. How can our safety be put at risk at our place of work?” “It (the assault) is a prison sentence waiting to happen. We have the footage and something will be done about it.”
Forest had already pledged to ban whoever attacked Sharp for life from the City Ground.

Twitter users reacted as the Nottingham Forest thug is named, shamed, and jailed for the Billy Sharp headbutt…
@andspiller: Should’ve give 5 years. Might make me people think twice about doing it again
@thomasutr_: £500 compensation 😂😂
@DannyMills666: Anyone know his season card number 👀
@markste76948257: Christ that is quick justice
@joeoldfield2000: Not a long enough sentence that but the £500 is a bit pointless surely 😂 I imagine Billy Sharp is desperate for that money
@DickiePugh: Not enough! 24 weeks for an unprovoked running head butt whilst trespassing. If the injuries had been worse and they easily could’ve been should he not be looking at years? .. .. flood gates are open for cowardly violence if that’s all you get.
@tbaldwin1992: Is that all?! 🤦🏼♂️
@nojman9: It’s not always a jail term so glad he got it
@mendocyoung: Can we get his season ticket number, he’s not going to need it
@SelveyDan: Can I have his SC number please for Wembley tickets? Lol
@GrantFellows2: Quickest I’ve seen our legal system work .
@darren_tv: It’s great to see how quickly this was handled from arrest to sentencing. He’s got off lightly with the term though. A couple of years would have sent a far better message out to anyone else thinking they’re Wreck-it Ralph. He could have seriously injured Billy.
@JonnyHoppo: Boom! I wonder what he regrets more. Taking the day off the to spend in the pub or not saying no to that last Jaeger bomb? I hope he’s had to pay some compo to the Billy Sharpe charity too.
@Phil_Sandford: Not long enough. Should also be banned from every sports stadium, no matter what the sport, for life.
The report explains that he handed himself in to police after the clip of him assaulting Sharp went viral.
Have to say – A 10 year football ban seems a pretty big let off considering the context. Stupid things like this will keep happening without harsher punishments!
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) May 19, 2022
@JoeEFC_1878_: Someone’s dad, embarrassing
@Upthedags: Only 24 weeks? lol
@adam1862_: Is that it? Could’ve killed him yet that girl got locked up for having coke at a festival with her mates for 3 years.
@ReptilianBuff: Is that all?! This country has become worse since Brexit.
@danielbrady82: Can someone explain to me how the bloke who attacked Billy Sharp two nights ago has already been jailed but if it was not in the public eye, it can take months/years
@lucypritty1: Justice has prevailed with the Forest fan Robert Biggs being jailed for 24 weeks and being banned from football for 10 years, whether you like billy sharp or not.. he didnt deserve that assault
@DemBlades85: I don’t want @NFFC punished at all to be honest. I would however like to see #Robertbiggs lose his job, his missis and get his 24 weeks jail time doubled. #nffc #sufc
@TheSirRobotto: Robert Biggs went from looking forward to the playoff final, to 24 weeks in Jail for head butting Billy Sharp in the space of 3 days. It’s a jail sentence, but seems lenient to be honest. Should deduct Nottingham Forest 75 points in my unbiased opinion 👀
@wolfofbetfair: Good! The moron!! Absolutely shocking what he did. Needs to be longer IMO
@80sSquaddie: 3 months in prison .. football banning order including handing in passport on international match days .. prob lost his job with difficulties getting another job … expensive night out !!
@MattyBrault: Season ticket holder that’s watched your team outside the top flight for the best part of 23 years & they get to the playoff final with every chance of promotion. What do you do? Headbutt a player, get sent to prison & receive a lifetime ban meaning you won’t see them in the Prem
@neil_sheard: No sympathy, he’s got off lightly. At least it makes one more ticket available for Wembley.
@PhilRogers81: Out in just 12 weeks then. Joke of a sentence.
@ParkinsonDean: correct decision but crazy how fast something can get through the courts when they want it to. Cases being postponed since 2019 for all sorts of offences.

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