by Jenni Horn

A Gillingham fan has been banned from attending football matches for three years after swinging punches at rival supporters.

Jordan Brads, 20, of Arden Street, Gillingham, was arrested when the Blues played Stoke in the third round of the FA Cup in January.

Specialist officers from Kent Police's Football Crime Unit intervened when they spotted a group of unruly home supporters head to the ground.

Brads, a kitchen porter, was seen throwing a beer can at the head of a rival supporter and then started swinging punches towards other Stoke fans.

While officers were dealing with another man from the Gillingham group, Brads managed to make his way inside the stadium, where he was arrested by police officers a short while later in the Brian Moore stand.

He was subsequently charged with a public order offence.

Kent Police asked the Crown Prosecution Service to consider applying for a football banning order upon Brads' conviction for the offence.

Brads appeared before Medway Magistrates Court on Tuesday, April 10, where he was found guilty of a public order offence and was sentenced to a 12 month conditional discharge. He was given a three-year football banning order and ordered to pay £85 court costs.

Football banning orders are designed to stop potential troublemakers from travelling to and attending football matches, both at home and abroad. Anyone who commits a football related offence at one of these stadiums can be arrested and a football banning order applied for.

Breach of a order is a criminal offence and is punishable by a maximum sentence of six months in prison.

Ch Supt Alasdair Hope said: "I am pleased with the outcome as once again it shows how seriously football-related offences are taken by the courts, and the excellent work of my officers in the Football Crime Unit.

"The majority of football fans are good natured, and genuinely want to support their team. They should be able to do that, without being subjected to offensive and criminal behaviour, and that applies just as much to club stewards as well.

"This sends out a strong message to the minority of people who get involved in violence and disorder. Be warned - you will be arrested, we'll take you to court and we'll do everything within our power to support the courts in banning you from entering a football ground for several years."

It is the second successful banning order for the Football Crime Unit which was set up in July 2011.

Gary Rimmer, 35, of Pheasant Road, Chatham, was given at three-year ban after punching a steward at Priestfield in October last year.

All major football fixtures in Kent are covered by the unit, including Gillingham, Ebbsfleet, Dartford, Dover and Tonbridge. Attached to the unit are dedicated `football spotters', specially trained officers who monitor tensions and behaviour within football stadiums and also look out for those who have previously been banned from football grounds.