ADAMS: FOOTBALL THUG TO KEEP JOB AS PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER
A football hooligan who took part in a street ‘battle’ involving a prominent member of the English Defence League will keep his job as a primary school teacher.
Christopher Adams, 24, goalkeeper for Bracknell Town Football Club, has been told school bosses will ‘continue to employ him’ despite his conviction for affray, the Old Bailey heard today.
He has been banned from professional football matches – but that may not stop him continuing to play for Bracknell who are in the Uhlsport Hellenic Premier League.
Adams admitted throwing punches at Leyton Orient supporters in the pre-arranged clash outside Liverpool Street Station.
He fled with dozens of other thugs following the arrival of police less than a minute after violence flared.
The teacher was given an handed an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work.
He has convictions for assault and drunk and disorderly conduct and was only spared jail due to ‘exceptional personal circumstances,’ Judge Timothy Pontius said.
Joel Titus, the 20-year-old youth wing leader of the far-right English Defence League, was previously jailed for nine months for his involvement in the brawl.
He was seen today waiting outside court as Adams was sentenced.
Titus is thought to be an Arsenal fan and has a Twitter account under the user name JoelArsenal, but attends Brentford home matches.
Adams appeared with fellow Brentford fan James Owen, 23, who pleaded guilty to affray and was given a seven-month jail term, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work.
Both men were banned from professional football matches for four years and ordered to pay £500 each towards court costs.
The court heard the rival groups of fans had been drinking since 9am when they arranged the clash over the phone from two pubs in the Liverpool Street area.
Owen of (21) Park Road, Ashford, was seen at the front of the charge, kicking a fan who had fallen to the floor as Adams tried to punch rival supporters.
Passing sentence, Judge Pontius said the pair’s involvement had helped turn the area around Liverpool Street into a ‘battleground.’
He said: ‘This was a serious display of violence on a large scale in a busy part of London on a Saturday evening.
‘The supporters from the two opposing teams had telephone contact and arranged to meet for the specific purpose of violent confrontation.
‘What followed can only be described as a disgraceful example of violent conduct to the considerable distress of respectable people going about their lives.’
The incident took place directly outside Liverpool Street station, at around 8pm on May 8 last year.
Orient had earlier played away in Colchester while Brentford had hosted Hartlepool in the final fixture of the 2009/10 League One campaign.
Fans from the two sides realised they were both in the vicinity of the station, with Orient fans in the nearby pub Dirty Dicks arranging the fight in a series of phonecalls with opposing supporters.
Jeremy Lynn, defending Adams, said: ‘He has an excellent work record including four years in his current job as a teacher in a primary school.
‘They are aware of his position today and continue to show faith in him in that they plan to continue to employ him.’
He added that the teacher, who lives with his parents at (60) Ennerdale, Bracknell, has a ‘rather unhappy family background.
His father has severe bipolar disorder and his brother relies on him for support after being blinded in a car accident four years ago.
Five other men have already been sentenced over the fight, receiving jail sentences of up to 12 months, while two are due to stand trial in September.
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