Free kick invader avoids banning order
At the Thames Magistrates’ Court, Dunn apologised for his drunken “moment of madness” during sentencing, District Judge Gareth Branston said: “On the afternoon of the 16 of August about 35,000 football fans paid to watch 22 men in shorts and footballs boots kick a football around for 90 minutes. They were paid to entertain the crowd. Some time into the game a young man in a checked shirt and red converse ran onto the pitch. That was you. You were not paid for that and you committed a criminal offence in so doing.
You proceeded to run some 70 yards across the pitch chased by stewards, one of whom fell over. Tottenham had lined up for a free kick, and you took it for them.To be frank you were probably a little tired by the time you got to the ball, it was a longer run than was strictly necessary. You had consumed alcohol and your stride pattern was a bit out of kilter but, to borrow a phrase, you did bend it like Beckham.Regrettably it was about 30mph slower than David Beckham and the West Ham goalkeeper did his job by easily saving it.The professional footballer who followed you did not do any better.”
The judge decided not to impose a football banning order called for by the prosecution, saying he was taking into account Dunn’s previous good character, he was fined £305.