Arrested British fans agree to be deported from Portugal

In a late night hearing at the same court yesterday, Gary Mann, 47, from Faversham in Kent, was convicted of throwing a bottle and inciting others to do the same. He is to be deported from Portugal to serve his sentence in Britain.

Described by Portuguese police as a ringleader of Monday’s riots, Mann, who has the St George’s cross tattooed on his forearm, proclaimed his innocence before being handcuffed and led away by military police.

“I wasn’t even there. It’s a stitch-up,” he yelled.

Alongside Mann another ten fans appeared in handcuffs, and were also told that they would be deported. Six men in their twenties received seven-month suspended prison sentences; a 37-year-old from Middlesbrough was given a nine-month suspended sentence; and three men were cleared but warned not to return to Portugal for up to five years.

An eleventh man, Joe Nicholls, 24, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, was cleared and told he was free to remain on holiday in the Algarve.

Today’s case was finally heard after being moved back and forth from the town’s courthouse to a larger auditorium and then back to the courthouse again.

The youngest of the 33 fans agreeing to return home was 20 while the oldest was in his 40s. They were told they could write an affidavit describing their own version of events which led to their arrest.

At a briefing earlier, a senior British police officer, who is in Portugal to advise local police on tactics, revealed that English officers had covertly video-taped Tuesday’s violence, in which 33 Britons were arrested.

Deputy Chief Constable David Swift said that a further two fans were taken into custody yesterday after a judge issued a warrant for their arrest on the basis of video evidence.

“That is the first time that type of activity has taken place overseas, with football specialist operatives from England able to turn around video evidence material in such a short space of time and to be able to present it to a local judge sufficient to convince him to take further action,” said Mr Swift.

He applauded Mann’s two year sentence and praised the fast-track judicial procedure laid on by the Portuguese.

“It is a very efficient process that has managed to get the case through. I would hope it gives a very powerful and positive message,” he explained.

Stephen Jakobi, of the campaign group Fair Trials Abroad, warned however that Mann’s sentence could be overturned.

He said that Portuguese police did not appear to have produced any video evidence to show that he was the ringleader, and had given him no time to prepare a defence.

“It is impossible for such a trial to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights which has been incorporated into Portuguese law,” said Mr Jakobi.

“He had a right to be represented by a competent lawyer who had adequate time to prepare his defence and call witnesses from abroad if need be, and have equal opportunities with the prosecution to examine the evidence.

“He also had a right to proper interpretation so that he could understand all the evidence being presented. Whilst rough justice resulting in deportation or minor penalty can be tolerated, serious offences resulting in lengthy terms of imprisonment cannot be dealt with in this summary fashion.”

Mann’s sister-in-law claimed that the family had a video to show that Mann was sitting quietly in a bar with his brother at the time he was supposed to have been leading Monday’s riot.

Last night was quiet in Albufeira, but Mr Swift warned that there would be a massive police presence on the streets of the Coimbra tonight, where tens of thousands of England fans were starting to arrive in preparation for the England v Switzerland game which kicks off at 5pm. If England loses, it will be knocked out of the tournament.