Polish fans admit Belfast football violence

Four Polish fans pleaded guilty on Monday to disorderly conduct in the build-up to Saturday’s international football match against Northern Ireland here at Windsor Park.

Tomasz Bobrowicz, 30, from Suffolk, Przemyslaw Pawel Kusmierczyk, 28, from Liverpool, Lukasz Szwajda, 22, from London, and Tomasz Jakobik, 26, from University Avenue in Belfast, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court.

They were arrested on Saturday after trouble at a city centre bar.

Jakobik, who has lived in Northern Ireland for two years, also pleaded guilty to possessing a firework without a licence. He will appear in court again next month.

The three other defendants were given two-month sentences, suspended for one year.

A police officer, who said he could connect all four defendants with the incidents, told the court the men had been on the periphery of the violent scenes in and around Wetherspoons bar in Bedford Street.

The incident was one of several that took place before, during and after Northern Ireland’s 3-2 victory over Poland in a qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup.

Earlier Monday, a FIFA statement said it was examining reports from match officials after a Swedish linesman was struck on the head by a coin during the game.

“FIFA has received a report from the match referee as well as the match commissioner,” said the statement.

“Following a review of those two respective reports, FIFA will then decide on whether any disciplinary procedures will be opened.”

The unrest came at a difficult time in Northern Ireland, with authorities trying to keep a lid on civil disturbances following the murders of a police officer and two British soldiers earlier this month. Observers fear the attacks may drag the province back into sectarian strife.

Police have also voiced concerns about the prospect of reprisal attacks against Northern Ireland’s resident Polish community.

Since the Good Friday peace accords of 1998, Northern Ireland has attracted east European migrants. Thousands of Poles live and work in the province, forming a significant minority.

Northern Ireland’s win left them top of the Europe zone qualifying group three for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.