Four men who travelled to the UK to watch a football match have been jailed for their part in an outbreak of violence in which police officers were attacked.

The following were charged with affray following the incident which occurred before a Tottenham Hotspur v Ajax match on Tuesday, 30 April. They were all sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Tuesday, 4 June:

Marvin Kerkhof, 29, (01.12.1989) of Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
Stefan Tromp, 34 (06.04.1985) of Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
Fahd Amri, 23 (02.11.1995) of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Boy Patrick Calvin Fuchs, 28, (07.11.1990) of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Fuchs was also charged with assault on an emergency worker.

All four defendants admitted the offences and were jailed for 20 weeks. Fuchs received an additional eight weeks’ imprisonment for the assault.

All four also received six-year Football Banning Orders (FBO).

The disorder started on Tuesday, 30 April as supporters from both sides made their way down Tottenham High Road.

Officers were separating the groups as they travelled down the road, but at 19:15hrs, the two groups came together at the junction of High Road and Brereton Road.

Officers continued separating the large groups but the defendants – along with other Ajax supporters – began breaking up pieces of pavement and throwing it at opposing fans.

A fight broke out between the two groups who proceeded to launch glass bottles, bricks and concrete slabs at each other.

Three officers were assaulted whilst attempting to intervene. A man was also struck on the head by a glass bottle. He suffered a fractured skull and bleed on the brain.

The court head Kerkhof was at the forefront of the disorder, goading and antagonising opposing fans and continually launching objects at them.

Amri and Tromp were both seen wrapping their belts around their hands to be used as weapons, covering their faces, and throwing large lumps of paving and bricks at fans and officers.

During the confrontation Fuchs launched an unprovoked attack on an officer, punching him in the back of the head. He then grabbed onto a lamppost, jumped and attempted to kick another officer. In an attempt to conceal his identity he changed his clothing and covered his face.

Upon the arrival of additional police resources, the defendants attempted to flee the area but were quickly detained.

Inspector Matt Ashmead from the Met’s Central Football Unit said: “The sentences handed to these individuals should send a clear message to any fans attending matches here in London – whether from the UK or overseas – that violence and disorder will not be tolerated.

“This was a prolonged and aggressive incident which left multiple people with injuries, some life threatening. One man was left with a bleed on the brain. The judge deemed that while the defendants did not directly inflict this injury, they all played key parts in the disorder and their collective actions ultimately resulted in it.

“My officers attended court and the CCTV that was shown to the judge demonstrated the levels of violence and disorder displayed, the type of which is rarely displayed at football matches in the UK.

“Fans from both sides acted in incredibly prevocational ways, fuelling the violence further. Slabs, bricks and bottles were launched putting the lives of not only those involved in the fight in danger, but the lives of the wider public and police officers who responded. It is fortunate that many more injuries were not sustained. Thankfully the injuries the officers suffered were not serious.

“I hope this case deters anyone else considering carrying out such violent, criminal acts. We have a team dedicated to identifying and arresting those causing violence at these matches, and we will continue to bring offenders to justice.

“I am pleased to say all of these defendants are now banned from attending football matches in the UK for the next six years.”