BUSHELL: FOOTBALL HOOLIGANS FACING JAIL OVER LIVERPOOL STREET BATTLE
Four football fans involved in running battle between Orient and Brentford supporters outside Liverpool Street station are facing jail.
Paul Bushell, 41, James McCarthy, 23, Paul Abley, 21, and Martin Pottle, 23, terrorised travellers as punches, kicks and bottles were thrown in the clash after the season’s final match.
Joel Titus, 19, a leader of the youth wing of the English Defence League, was also involved in the fight and was jailed for nine months at a previous hearing.
Leyton Orient had been playing away at Colchester on the day of the violence and Brentford had hosted Hartlepool.
By 8pm the Orient fans were gathered at Dirty Dicks pub at Liverpool Street while Brentford fans were drinking at the Railway Tavern.
The incident began when one fan ran was seen to ‘run for his life’ up Liverpool Street chased by at least 15 rival supporters
It ended when a police car was driven into the middle of the fighting.
Pottle and Bushell were both arrested at the scene but McCarthy and Abley were identified from CCTV footage.
Brentford fan Abley, who had distinctive sideburns, threw a bottle at the Leyton Orient group before running off.
He was arrested on July 14 and denied being involved in the brawl.
Leyton fan Bushell was seen pursuing a Brentford supporter during the incident on Saturday, May 8 last year and punching him repeatedly in the head.
He was confronted by tactical firearms officers armed with Tasers and arrested.
Bushell claimed he had been hit in the face by a flying object and had punched the other man once in self defence.
McCarthy, of London Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, Bushell, of Robinia Close, Ilford, Essex, Abley, of Hounslow Road, Feltham, Middlesex, and Pottle, of Hounslow Road, Hanworth, Middlesex, all denied affray but were convicted by the jury.
They shook their head as the verdicts were returned.
All four men are due to be sentenced on August 19 after pre-sentence reports have been prepared.
Media studies student Titus, of (62) North View, Pinner, Middlesex, admitted affray in April and was locked up for nine months. Titus – thought to be an Arsenal fan who also attends Brentford home matches, was also banned from attending football matches for seven years.
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