Drunk Birmingham City Fan Jailed for Choking Teen at Match, Offered Cocaine to Police
A drunk Birmingham City supporter has been sentenced to prison after choking a 16-year-old boy during a football match and then making a brazen offer to supply cocaine to police officers. Daniel Blair, aged 37, carried out the unprovoked attack at an away Championship fixture against Swansea City on January 17 this year.
Violent Attack on Young Fan
Prosecutor David Singh detailed how Blair, heavily intoxicated before the 5:30pm kickoff, began slapping the teenage victim to the back of his head. The situation escalated when Blair grabbed the boy's neck from behind in a chokehold, lifting him off his feet despite intervention attempts from the victim's family and other supporters.
The 16-year-old victim described significant psychological impacts in a statement, including feeling nervous in public, experiencing choking sensations when no one was touching his neck, and suffering disruptions to his appetite, sleep patterns, and education.
Shocking Behavior After Arrest
When police arrested Blair at the match, they discovered three snap-seal bags containing cocaine in his possession. The defendant responded by offering to supply officers with twenty additional bags of the class A drug. Blair further compounded his misconduct by urinating in his police cell while in custody.
The defendant, who resides at Wharrad Close in Redditch, pleaded guilty to multiple charges including intentional strangulation, possessing cocaine, and criminal damage for the cell incident.
Court Sentencing and Previous Offenses
At Swansea Crown Court, Recorder Simon Stephenson sentenced Blair to two years and four weeks imprisonment. The judge emphasized the severe psychological impact of the unprovoked attack on the teenage victim and stated he would not have suspended the sentence even if it had been reduced to the two-year threshold.
Blair received additional restrictions including:
- A three-year ban from attending regulated football matches
- Prohibition from being within three miles of Birmingham's St. Andrew's Stadium during match times
Defense barrister Caitlin Brazel stated Blair was "deeply ashamed and no doubt embarrassed" and extended his apologies to the victim and family. She submitted that her client had been "far too boisterous in drink" and noted his past offenses—sixteen previous convictions including assaults, class A drug supply, and public disorder—were also alcohol-influenced.
Recorder Stephenson concluded the case by highlighting the serious nature of the attack and its lasting effects on the young victim, while Blair begins his prison sentence and faces significant restrictions on his future football attendance.
