Man City fan banned and fined for throwing flare at Aston Villa game

A 20-year-old lifelong Manchester City supporter has been banned from games for possessing and throwing a flare at a game.

Oliver Halliwell set off the smoke flare at the Etihad on 22 May 2022 where City won the Premier League title after making a comeback against Aston Villa.

The match saw a number of City fans invade the pitch in the 3-2 win on the last day of the season.

At Manchester Magistrates Court today (5 October), Halliwell admitted possessing and throwing a flare at the game.

CCTV footage showed Halliwell in the south stand, holding a smoke flare up, before throwing it across the heads of supporters, stewards and others and onto the playing area.

When arrested, he told officers that he had brought three flares with him that day, and that he had used two before entering the ground and had brought the third one into the Etihad with no intention to use it - but had got carried away when City scored in the 80th minute.

Halliwell was sentenced to a three-year football banning order, along with a £555 fine, £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.

After the hearing, Kerry Grieve, Senior District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said:” The CPS are committed to taking a robust stance towards those who take part in football related disorder and we continue to play a crucial role in making sports such as football safe for the players and for the vast majority of supporters who want to attend and enjoy sport in a safe environment.”

Recent stats showed City had among the highest number of arrests and banning orders issued last season.

Douglas Mackay, CPS Sports Lead Prosecutor and Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for West Midlands said: “Over recent years and months there has been a significant rise in football-related criminality compared to pre-pandemic levels. At the CPS, we play a crucial role in tackling these crimes and making our national sport inclusive, safe to watch and play in. There is no place for violent criminal acts in football, and incidents such as these has a significant impact on victims.”