An Italian football fan was cleared on Thursday of inflicting grievous bodily harm on a Liverpool supporter in an attack before a Champions League tie between Roma and Liverpool in May.
Filippo Lombardi, 21, was found not guilty at Preston Crown Court of the assault on Sean Cox, an Irish national who the judge said suffered “catastrophic injuries” from the attack.
Lombardi will still be sentenced later for a charge of violent disorder which he admitted before the trial began last week.
“Football has been described as the beautiful game but the terrible events that took place outside Anfield stadium when Sean Cox was assaulted and suffered catastrophic injuries, surely have blighted its reputation,” Judge Mark Brown said.
Cox suffered a severe, traumatic brain injury as a result of the attack outside Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium and he is still unable to talk or sit up unaided.
The court heard that another man was responsible for the punch that knocked him to the ground but the prosecution alleged that Lombardi swung his belt towards Fox as he fell and was therefore jointly responsible for the attack.
Sporadic trouble broke out in Liverpool city centre before the match as more than 50,000 fans made their way to Anfield, including around 5,000 Roma fans.
The May 24 match was won 5-2 by the home team.
AFP
