A BRADFORD City fan has avoided a footballing ban after damaging a stadium door when he "got carried away" during a protest against the club’s ownership.
Daniel Strahinic, 32, of Winter Court, in Sandy Lane, Bradford, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court on Friday afternoon.
A charge of possession of cocaine was dropped.
Strahinic was part of a protest that was taking place just outside Valley Parade, before Bradford City’s 2-0 win against Tranmere on Good Friday (March 29), the court heard.
A group of disgruntled supporters came together at 1.30pm just through the entrance of Valley Parade, and to the right of the Family Stand, to showcase their disappointment at the club’s “mediocrity” and in opposition to owner Stefan Rupp and CEO, Ryan Sparks.
Chair of The Bradford City Independent Group, Steve Hamilton, which organised the “peaceful protest”, claimed on the day there were around 300 to 400 people in support of the movement at the ground.
But it looked like a group of roughly 50 people were stood behind a protest banner, with a larger crowd of fans watching on nearby and sporadically joining in with the chants.
The protest officially began at 2pm and after some chanting, the main group then marched around the Family Stand entrance, and up the stairs to the left of it onto Burlington Street.
Shauna Carroll, for the prosecution, said a steward witnessed Strahinic kick one of the glass panels at the bottom of the doors on the Club Reception and Executive Boxes entrance, smashing it.
The Bantams supporter was arrested and said “I kicked a door” and admitted doing so in police interview.
He also said during that, he was willing to pay for any damage, he was sorry, and “embarrassed” by his actions, the court heard.
Ms Carroll said this was a crime “committed on impulse” and Strahinic had shown remorse.
Strahinic has a previous conviction for criminal damage from 2013 but his defence lawyer, Maria Temkow, argued this happened when he was “substantially younger”.
She said her client, who is a keen tennis player and ranked 900th in the country, got “carried away being in a group and group activity” and was “mortified to be back before the court”.
She added: “He cannot believe he behaved in this way, he thought had grown up but he got carried away”.
The defence lawyer told the court the protest was not between supporters but over the ownership of Bradford City, a club she said had fallen on bad times, and they were aware of the event.
She also made the point that his actions were not “within the match itself”.
Ms Temkow said he admitted the offence at the police station and that it would have been a caution but because it was linked to a football stadium he was brought before the court.
The defence lawyer described the terms of the potential football banning order put forward by the prosecution as “Draconian” – having to hand his passport in and not go on trains on certain days.
She said: “It’s a real penalty for what would seem minor criminal damage”.
Strahinic wrote to Bradford City and offered to pay for the damages but claims he received no response.
A spokesperson for the club confirmed Strahinic had emailed them but this was in response to a club-banning letter he had received, and that they did reply.
They said: “To this email, the club responded advising that the matter had been forwarded to the Supporter Sanctions Appeal Board, who would advise on the outcome of his appeal within 14 days, as per our sanctions and banning policy.
“The appeal has not yet been concluded, and until this point, he will remain suspended by the club.”
The court handed Strahinic a conditional discharge, meaning the offence appears on his record but he is not punished for it unless he commits another crime in the next two years, which he would also be sentenced for.
The magistrate said: “We cannot have criminal damage being committed but nevertheless, we do take the point this was in the heat of the moment”.
In relation to considering a football banning order, which has to have a minimum of three years, the magistrate said they “talked long and hard about it” but concluded imposing one “would not be in the interest of justice” and may be “disproportionate” to the offence.
The magistrate added: “You came close to having one today”.
Strahinic was ordered to pay £511 in total, including £85 in costs and £400 compensation to Bradford City.
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