After being turned away from the stadium, a football fan spent ninety minutes mooning and sunbathing on the turnstile roof. Tranmere Rovers supporter Allan Sutton, 41, caused a four-and-a-half hour stand-off during his team’s League 2 encounter against Carlisle United’s Brunton Park.
Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard the 3pm fixture on 31st August was deemed a “low risk” of trouble by police. Sutton was twice refused entry to the stadium, firstly due to a ticket discrepancy. He bought another and returned to the turnstile at around 2-45pm.
“When he was being searched, he was aggressive toward the stewards. Entry was denied to him, prosecutor Diane Jackson said. By now he was very, very intoxicated. He was said to have glazed eyes, slurred speech, and toss when walking.
Sutton began shouting abuse at two police officers monitoring away fans. “He shouted ‘I’m going to commit murder in your town. Is that what you want? Think it’s funny?’” Sutton left that area but after the game kicked off was seen to have scaled a turnstile roof at the Waterworks End of United’s ground.
“He was holding his balance holding on to a metal lighting pole,” said Mrs Jackson. “He was putting himself in a position of danger by standing on something that was thin, a 10 by 12ft long wall, walking around on top of the turnstile.”
Sutton refused to relent and at one stage pulled down his trousers, exposing his buttocks. He remained on the roof throughout the game and after full-time as spectators dispersed.
Mrs Jackson said: “He continued to be aggressive and abusive, shouting at members of the public as they walked past, including families and children, and also players with their children. He switched between being abusive, FaceTiming his friends and sunbathing. At 7-30pm he made a decision to come down from the roof after four-and-a-half hours when he was arrested.”
During the incident, members of the emergency services — including firefighters and paramedics — were summoned. “The actions of the defendant could have been detrimental to the police operation and fixture due to the actions of others who could copy the behaviour he was demonstrating,” added the prosecutor.
The court heard Sutton had been jailed in 2015 after breaking into the wrong house in Prenton, Wirral, while drunk and mistakenly attacking a terrified stranger.
Sutton, of Carr Bridge Road, Wirral, admitted a public order charge following the Carlisle incident and was not legally represented in court. “I was refused entry. I just wasn’t too happy about it,” he explained to magistrates. “I just seen a fence at the back of the stand. I knew I could climb up on it. I didn’t think I would be seen. I just wanted to get a vantage point. Before I knew it I was on the stand roof. I went along with it. Once I was up there it was too late. I’m just disappointed in myself.”
Sutton did not object to the police-requested prohibition. “I’ve watched Tranmere since I was four years old,” the laborer added when asked what effect this would have. I never got into any problems at the football field before. It’s not something I go and do.” Sutton was ordered to pay a surcharge and prosecution costs by magistrates, who also fined him £400.
A three-year football suspension was also imposed. This means that for four hours both before and after games, Sutton is not allowed to be within a mile of the Prenton Park stadium in Tranmere or any other professional football field. Matches involving the England national team were also prohibited.
Sutton was told by lead magistrate Jill Robinson: “Your behavior wasted a lot of time for emergency services workers.” More important things could have required that time than to see you act like that on a roof. That kind of behavior won’t be permitted. If your family was in danger or you required these emergency workers, you would be thinking the same things.
