Post by Libby on Jan 15, 2009 17:18:59 GMT
A company director who hurled a 50p piece which hit a linesman during a Premier League game could be banned for life from attending football matches.
Married father of two John Billington, 43, appeared before magistrates today and admitted throwing the coin which gashed assistant referee Phil Sharp's forehead.
Frustrated Aston Villa fan Billington, the managing director of a small engineering firm, threw the coin 'in a moment of madness' when a Villa goal was disallowed during the last minutes of their 0-0 home draw against Portsmouth, the court heard.
He had drunk six pints of beer before the game and was sitting yards behind the team dugouts. Mr Sharp, who was standing on the half-way line when the coin hit him, suffered a small cut which took ten days to heal.
Billington, of Great Barr, Birmingham, admitted one count of battery. Birmingham magistrates warned him he faces a substantial banning order from all football matches when he is sentenced next month.
Noreen Ashraf, prosecuting, said that when Mr Sharp was hit, he went down on one knee and play was stopped.
'He looked down and saw a 50p coin on the floor, which was picked up by a Portsmouth player and given to the match official,' she said.
'He could not say who threw the coin at him, but he knew it must've come from above and on his right. Further enquiries led to Mr Billington surrendering himself at a police station.'
After the game, Harry Redknapp, Portsmouth's manager at the time in October, labelled the coin thrower a 'coward and a moron', believing the coin had been thrown at him, and said he hoped the culprit would be banned for life.
Harman Bal, defending Billington, said: 'It was a very frustrating match because it was a 0-0 draw, and the crowd was very frustrated.
'Towards the end of the match a player headed the ball and everyone thought it had gone in, but it wasn't given and everyone was frustrated.
'Somehow Mr Billington says he must've had a coin in his pocket, and in frustration he threw it towards the pitch.
'It was just a moment of madness and sheer impulsive action that he swung his arm and threw the coin.
'He is ashamed he has bought a bad name to the team and to supporters.'
Mr Bal added that Billington 'didn't realise he had hit the complainant because he was looking the other way.'
A police investigation established which seat the coin was likely to have been thrown from and when the finger of blame was pointed at a friend of his Billington went forward to accept his responsibilities, the court heard.
Mr Bal said: 'He didn't plan the events and didn't plan to hit someone or hit the assistant referee.'
BIllington will be sentenced on February 5. Outside court, he said: 'I've been a Villa season ticket holder all my life, and in thirty years I have never been in trouble.'
Married father of two John Billington, 43, appeared before magistrates today and admitted throwing the coin which gashed assistant referee Phil Sharp's forehead.
Frustrated Aston Villa fan Billington, the managing director of a small engineering firm, threw the coin 'in a moment of madness' when a Villa goal was disallowed during the last minutes of their 0-0 home draw against Portsmouth, the court heard.
He had drunk six pints of beer before the game and was sitting yards behind the team dugouts. Mr Sharp, who was standing on the half-way line when the coin hit him, suffered a small cut which took ten days to heal.
Billington, of Great Barr, Birmingham, admitted one count of battery. Birmingham magistrates warned him he faces a substantial banning order from all football matches when he is sentenced next month.
Noreen Ashraf, prosecuting, said that when Mr Sharp was hit, he went down on one knee and play was stopped.
'He looked down and saw a 50p coin on the floor, which was picked up by a Portsmouth player and given to the match official,' she said.
'He could not say who threw the coin at him, but he knew it must've come from above and on his right. Further enquiries led to Mr Billington surrendering himself at a police station.'
After the game, Harry Redknapp, Portsmouth's manager at the time in October, labelled the coin thrower a 'coward and a moron', believing the coin had been thrown at him, and said he hoped the culprit would be banned for life.
Harman Bal, defending Billington, said: 'It was a very frustrating match because it was a 0-0 draw, and the crowd was very frustrated.
'Towards the end of the match a player headed the ball and everyone thought it had gone in, but it wasn't given and everyone was frustrated.
'Somehow Mr Billington says he must've had a coin in his pocket, and in frustration he threw it towards the pitch.
'It was just a moment of madness and sheer impulsive action that he swung his arm and threw the coin.
'He is ashamed he has bought a bad name to the team and to supporters.'
Mr Bal added that Billington 'didn't realise he had hit the complainant because he was looking the other way.'
A police investigation established which seat the coin was likely to have been thrown from and when the finger of blame was pointed at a friend of his Billington went forward to accept his responsibilities, the court heard.
Mr Bal said: 'He didn't plan the events and didn't plan to hit someone or hit the assistant referee.'
BIllington will be sentenced on February 5. Outside court, he said: 'I've been a Villa season ticket holder all my life, and in thirty years I have never been in trouble.'