Hammers ban is lifted on train thugs

Pat Coughtrey , News Editor Thursday, May 31, 2012
5:00 PM

Three men banned from going within a mile of West Ham United matches after causing mayhem on a train have had their orders overturned by judges.

Ciaran Doyle, 22, of Willesden, north-west London; Darren Wise, 30, of Reading, and Ryan Wise, 28, of Newbury, Berkshire, were all hit with six-year bans in August after they were convicted of affray.

The court orders barred them from straying within a mile of any Hammers game.

The men were on a train between Paddington and Reading in February 2010 when they rounded on George Rawlins, who was travelling home to Wales with his two children.

The three men were among a group travelling home after watching West Ham beat Hull City 3-0 at Upton Park.

Mr Rawlins, who remonstrated with the men due to their foul language, said he was hounded through the train and had to take refuge in a cabin near the driver.

He was struck on the head during the incident.

However, lawyers for the three men went to the Appeal Court, challenging the football banning orders.

They disputed that the offence did not occur in the strict context of a football match, which is a necessary foundation for such an order to be made.

Lord Justice Hughes, sitting with Mr Justice Cooke and Mr Justice Burnett, said he was “satisfied that these orders should be quashed”.

The Appeal Court will give reasons for its decision at a later date.

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