London (AFP) – A Roma fan was jailed for two-and-a-half-years on Friday for his part in the violence ahead of a Champions League semi-final which left a Liverpool supporter in a coma.
Daniele Sciusco, 29, from Rome, admitted violent disorder ahead of the Anfield match on April 24.
A judge at Preston Crown Court, near Liverpool in northwest England, was told Friday that Liverpool supporter Sean Cox, 53, remained in a serious condition as a result of a head injury sustained in the violence, although Sciusco was not directly involved in his injuries.
Passing sentence, Judge Mark Brown said: “The Champions League semi-final was a major international football event that was being televised across Europe, and your actions and the actions of the Italian group tarnished significantly what was intended to be a sporting and enjoyable occasion.
“It’s important to stress you are not being sentenced for the dreadful attack on Mr Cox, but it did occur during violent disorder of which you were a part, and the impact on him has been catastrophic.”
