A Swiss football fan has been sentenced to eight weeks in a British prison after admitting to assaulting a police officer during the heated Europa League match between Aston Villa and BSC Young Boys.
Match Night Disorder
The incident occurred on Thursday night at Villa Park, where the game was marred by significant crowd trouble. Objects, including damaged seats and coins, were thrown towards police officers and Aston Villa players. The violence escalated to the point where Dutch striker Donyell Malen was struck on the head by a projectile.
In response to the disorder, which erupted in the lower section of the Doug Ellis Stand after Villa scored the opening goal, dozens of police officers in riot gear were deployed to restore order.
Court Proceedings and Charges
Noe Burri, aged 36 from Switzerland, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court where he pleaded guilty to assaulting an officer. In addition to his eight-week jail term, the court ordered him to pay £200 in compensation.
Burri was not the only individual charged. Three other BSC Young Boys supporters from Switzerland were also remanded and appeared in court on Saturday. Michael Hausler, 38, Kevin Heiniger, 24, and Nevio Dappen, 18, all face charges of using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke unlawful violence.
Police Investigation and Club's Troubled History
Superintendent Paul Minor commented on the event, stating, "The majority of the crowd was in good spirit, but unfortunately, a small minority of away fans caused violence and disrupted the game." He confirmed that an investigation is underway, with officers reviewing body-worn video and CCTV footage from the stadium.
This is not the first time BSC Young Boys has faced repercussions for its fans' conduct. The Swiss club was previously hit with a fine of 28,250 euros (£24,729) for similar issues involving their supporters at a match against Manchester City two years ago. They also received a fine of approximately 18,000 euros (£15,756) for the use of pyrotechnics at a match at Celtic in February.
