Anfield attack: Sean Cox assault accused extradited

Sean Cox was beaten outside Anfield in April

A man has been charged with assaulting Liverpool fan Sean Cox before the side's match against Roma in April.

Father-of-three, Mr Cox, 53, from Dunboyne, Co Meath suffered a brain injury when he was attacked outside the club's Anfield ground.

Merseyside Police said Simone Mastrelli, 30, from Rome, was extradited after being arrested on a European Arrest Warrant in Italy.

Mr Mastrelli is due before South Sefton Magistrates' Court later.

He is accused of assault and violent disorder.

Mr Cox was severely beaten before the first leg of Liverpool's Champions League semi-final on 24 April.

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: "Mr Mastrelli was extradited back to England yesterday and has been charged with Section 20 assault and violent disorder.

"He has been remanded in custody to appear at South Sefton Magistrates' Court."

Roma fan Daniele Sciusco, 29, was jailed for violent disorder last August for his part in trouble outside the ground.

And in October Filippo Lombardi, 21, was cleared of assaulting Mr Cox, but was jailed after admitting violent disorder during the trouble.