Villa fan strikes man after football banter

An Aston Villa fan punched a West Bromwich Albion supporter, smashing a glass against his face, after football banter in a Black Country pub "turned nasty", a court heard.

Luke Meredith, aged 24, from Rowley Regis, avoided a prison sentence after pleading guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm following a row at The Malt Shovel in Blackheath last November. Meredith, of Moor Lane, has now been barred from the High Street pub. After exchanging words about football, Meredith sprayed the other man with a hosepipe in the car park.

The victim later poured a pint of toilet water over Meredith's head inside the pub. The defendant reacted by punching him in the face, the court was told.

Miss Kelly Hale, prosecuting, said: "There has been some talk and banter between the two about the teams which has then turned nasty."

She said Meredith reacted to having the pint of water poured over him by jabbing the other man in the face with a glass. She added that since the assault the victim had been unable to work because he was suffering from a lack of confidence.

Mr Trevor Bytheway, defending, said it was not a deliberate "glassing."He said the assault did not just come out of a dispute over football as Meredith's allegiance to Villa did not come out in violence, as his father and the mother of his child were Albion fans.

"There is then some banter between the two sets of supporters, but it isn't violent or unpleasant but there comes a time when someone does something that upsets the opposite group," he added.

He said the defendant had taken exception to something said at him and his child so sprayed the other man with a hose.

He said the victim came back into the pub later "intent on retribution" and poured a pint glass of toilet water over Meredith. The defendant admitted punching the victim but not deliberately hitting him with a glass.

Meredith was sentenced at Warley Magistrates Court on Tuesday. He was given an 18-month supervision order and must take part in an accredited calm programme. He was ordered to pay £200 compensation, £250 costs and banned from the Malt Shovel for six months.