Aston Villa fan fined for throwing lighter onto pitch during 'emotionally draining' 6 - 0 Liverpool drubbing

Paul Burton, 35, tossed lighter towards match official in 90th minute of Valentine's Day massacre N Aston Villa fan has been fined by magistrates for throwing a lighter towards a match official after becoming “emotionally drained” during a 6 -0 drubbing by Liverpool.

Paul Burton, 35, tossed his cigarette lighter onto the pitch in the 90th minute at Villa Park as he remonstrated about the club’s woeful performance.
The claret and blue fan, of Kimpton Close, Kings Heath, pleaded guilty at Birmingham magistrates to throwing a missile onto a football playing area and was fined £120 with £135 costs and £20 victim surcharge.
Mark Soper, prosecuting, said on February 14 this year Villa were playing Liverpool and losing badly. “It was late in the match, the 90th minute, and Villa weren’t doing very well, it seems,” Mr Soper said.
“They were losing 6 - 0 and the defendant threw a cigarette lighter in the direction of an assistant referee.
“Luckily it didn’t hit him, but stewards detained the defendant and police were called.”
Mr Soper said unemployed Burton had many previous convictions, including dishonesty, possession of offensive weapons, possession of a bladed article, robbery and assault but none were for football-related incidents.

Aston Villa's Joleon Lescott after the 6-0 defeat to Liverpool

Ash Mistry, defending Burton, said football fans would have some sympathy for his client.
“I’m a football fan, a season ticket holder, and I know how emotionally involved it can be, especially when your team is being hammered,” he said.
“And that’s what was happening on this day - it had been draining and this incident happened in the 90th minute.”
Mr Mistry said it was getting towards the end of the match and Burton was preparing to leave, with his cigarettes and lighter in his hand, preparing to light up because smoking is banned in football grounds.
“He was emotional and remonstrated and as he was doing this, the lighter came out of his hand,” Mr Mistry said.
“He wasn’t throwing it at anyone and it would have had to travel some distance to hit anyone.”
Although he didn’t have a season ticket, Burton was a devoted fan and went to around 20 matches a season. “This has never happened before and will never happen again, he is full of remorse,” Mr Mistry said.
Magistrates said they had been considering a banning order, but decided against it after accepting that it was a one-off incident.
During the two weeks he was waiting for his court appearance, Burton had been banned from going anywhere near Villa Park for three hours before and after any home fixture