Euro 2016 violence: Angry Tipton mother whose son is locked up in France sets up petition to free him
The distraught mother of an England fan jailed for three months following violent clashes with Russian supporters has hit out at his conviction – as a petition was launched to free him.
Gay Kelly, of Tividale, said she did not know whether her son Ashley, a Birmingham City fan, was alive or dead for an entire day.
The 26-year-old distribution centre manager was reported missing before the England-Russia match on Saturday after he became separated from his friends.
His sister Sam put out appeals on Facebook for information about him.
The family were informed by the British Embassy late on Sunday night that he was 'in the care of the French authorities'.
They learned later he had been arrested for throwing bottles in Marseilles before the match.
He pleaded guilty to violence with a weapon in a French court on Monday. He was jailed for three months and also banned from France for two years.
Hitting out at the French authorities, Ms Kelly, aged 54, said: "Instead of using their own resources to manage security, they are using the court system.
"By bringing this to court so quickly, and handing out such a harsh sentence, they're sending out a message ahead of the England game on Thursday.
"It's a case of treating the first, worst. I'm concerned this has been a witch hunt.
"From what I'm hearing, Ashley acted in self-defence after being hit with a wooden stick or chair leg and only threw one bottle.
"He was blood tested after his arrest and wasn't drunk.
"He was bleeding badly from a head wound – I want to know what happened to the person who did that to him, and I want to know how badly hurt he is. I haven't been able to speak to Ashley himself."
Ms Kelly described her son as 'passionate' about football but said he would never get involved in violence.
An ex-Tividale High School pupil, he coaches youngsters at Tipton Youth FC and follows the England team around the world. He drove to France with four friends, leaving on Thursday, for a two-week trip and had been planning to return, taking unpaid leave, if England made it through to the quarter-finals. The sports fanatic, who lives with his mother in Regent Road, had been looking forward to the trip for two years.
Now Ms Kelly, a masters graduate, is worried about the repercussions of his conviction.
She said: "He's going to lose his job over this and I don't know how he's going to cope emotionally with being in a foreign prison.
"I don't want him branded as a football hooligan because he's not." The campaign to free distribution centre manager Ashley has been backed by nearly 2,000 people. He was reported missing before the Three Lions' match against Russia on Saturday after becoming separated from his friends – prompting his sister Sam to put out an appeal on Facebook for information about him.
The family were informed by the British Embassy late on Sunday night that he was 'in the care of the French authorities'.
They learned later he had been arrested for throwing bottles in Marseilles before the match. Now his sister has launched an online petition calling for him to be released, saying he simply 'retaliated' to provocation from Russian fans.
Her mission statement on the change.org website says: "My brother was attacked in France in the Euros 2016.
"As everyone can see the Russians have a lot to answer for they was in training for six months before the game my brother was out there for the games and due back June 23 but he retaliated after getting attack and us as a family was very concerned for his welfare.
"Please everyone let's help free my bro much loved by many."
