Police officer 'punched Chesterfield football fan'

PC Liam Stewart insists he was acting in self-defence

A police officer who punched a football fan, breaking his nose, went "over the top", a court has heard.

PC Liam Stewart, 33, is accused of punching Louis McAndrew, 18, in the Hillsborough area of Sheffield on 8 August 2017.

Leeds Crown Court heard Mr McAndrew was part of a group of Chesterfield fans travelling to see their team play at Sheffield Wednesday.

PC Stewart, of Barnsley, denies assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The court heard the officer insists he was acting in self-defence.

Prosecutor Ian Brook told jurors: "We say the defendant went over the top in his dealings with this youth.

"What he did in delivering those three punches - in particular the last one - was quite unreasonable and totally disproportionate to any contact the complainant made to him or any future threat he may have perceived as imminent."

The Chesterfield fans were drinking in the Hillsborough Tap when police were called

Mr Brook said the jury would be told Mr McAndrew was with a group "commonly referred to as football hooligans", which he denies.

The court heard Mr McAndrew had been in the Hillsborough Tap pub when he was asked to leave because he was an away fan.

Mr Brook said when he returned to the pub to warn friends, the police were called and officers served section 35 notices on the men banning them from the game.

Jurors were told police footage showed Mr McAndrew saying: "I've got a ticket, I've got a season ticket, I'm a true fan, I've done nothing wrong."

Mr Brook said Mr McAndrew would tell the court PC Stewart, of Hoyland, held him by the throat so he could not breathe and he tried to push the officer away.

The court heard PC Stewart said he was "acting in self-defence and that the force that he used was necessary, reasonable and proportionate".

The trial continues.