Football fan gets a three-year ban after throwing a flare at a Chesterfield FC game

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on November 13 how Wrexham AFC fan Lewis Hallam, 26, picked up the flare which had already been thrown by someone else after his team had scored a penalty and he threw it towards one of the goals at the Proact Stadium, at Whittington Moor.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “At 3.30pm an officer became aware of Hallam being ejected for throwing a missile - which had been a flare - onto the football pitch and there was video footage.”

Hallam told police he had consumed a few pints of lager and Wrexham had scored a penalty and a flare was thrown by someone during the celebrations and he picked it up near the advertising boards and threw it and it landed in the goal area.

He added that he had not brought the flare with him and he had not lit it.

Mrs Allsop added that when Hallam was arrested he was also found to be in possession of 0.2grammes of cocaine worth £20.

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Hallam, who has previous convictions including an offence of throwing a sweet at a match, pleaded guilty to throwing a flare towards the playing area and to possessing a class A controlled drug after the Conference Premier 1-1 draw on October 27.

Defence solicitor John Wilford said he is very apologetic for the incident and he had not come into the ground with the flare and he had thrown it in no particular direction.

Mr Wilford added that the cocaine was for Hallam’s personal use only and the defendant has admitted that he occasionally uses the drug.

Magistrates fined Hallam, of Morgan Avenue, Wrexham, £288 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

He was also given a three-year football banning order from attending matches.

Derbyshire Constabulary’s PC Allan Guy, who oversees football banning orders, said: “Flares can cause serious injury and we have to take positive action.

“If any flares are thrown and if they hit someone, they can cause serious burns.”