‘Deeply regretful’: Pitch invaders slapped with fines, bans for storming AAMI Park
Five pitch invaders have been slapped with fines for storming AAMI Park during a December derby match, with one telling the magistrate he has “let the soccer community down”.
Police & Courts
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A group of pitch invaders who stormed AAMI Park have fronted court, with several handed fines and bans from attending football matches.
A dozen young men appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, facing charges over the violent pitch invasion of the derby match between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory on December 17.
A lawyer for one of the men, Enver Malkic, 28, said his client had a “lapse of judgment” and was caught up in the mayhem.
“He’s deeply regretful and shameful,” he said.
“He acknowledges he let the soccer community down.”
Magistrate Rosemary Falla said Malkic had set a bad example for young players that he trained at a local football club.
“You’re demonstrating to them that this (behaviour) is okay and permissible,” she said.
Ms Falla said another man Stefan Georgiou, 23, who aspires to play professional football himself, had “no right” to put others at risk after he threw a flagpole at police.
Five men including Malkic, Georgiou, Taha Yapici, Daniel Hassan and Con Balati were handed fines between $500 and $1000 and placed on good behaviour bonds of up to 18 months after pleading guilty to invading the pitch.
Georgiou and Yapici also admitted to a discharging missile charge for throwing a flagpole and chair onto the grounds.
The group were also banned from attending professional football matches for periods between one and three years depending on their level of involvement.
Others who appeared in court on Thursday had their cases adjourned to other dates.
The violence was sparked during a walk out – led by members of fan group Original Style Melbourne – which was planned for the 20-minute mark to protest Football Federation Australia’s decision to sell the next three A-League grand finals to Sydney.
Just after 8pm, up to 150 spectators from the northern stands stormed the pitch, throwing bottles, flares, stadium chairs and metal buckets, after Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover threw a flare back into the stands.
Glover was left bloodied and required stitches after he was struck in the head with a metal bucket while referee Alex King, who helped the goalkeeper from the field, was also injured alongside a cameraman and security guard.
Victoria Police arrested and charged 38 people, with the majority of offenders handing themselves in after their images were released to the media.
Others including Alex “Bucket Man” Agelopoulos, who is accused of throwing the bucket that hit Glover, will appear in court later this year.
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