World Cup violence

In Devonshire Road, a Portuguese supporter wearing the national team shirt was punched in the head.

Meanwhile, tables were upturned and a television thrown at the Castle Pub in Buckhurst Place (pictured).

A glass was also thrown out of the main door onto the street, while other glasses from the beer garden ended up on the pavement.

"It was carnage," according to PC James Avery, on duty that afternoon.

PC Michael Dunn was outside the Castle and said: 'During the match there was the usual chanting and swearing at the TV whenever the ref made a poor decision, but generally this was all in good spirits.

'It was at the conclusion when we lost on penalties that a few pint glasses were thrown.

'The landlord requested officers enter the public house after a report of a large fight taking place inside, but no persons were arrested and none made any complaints of being assaulted.'

A drunken man was arrested later when he urinated in the street, long after the conclusion of the match. He was a Royal Marine commando who was issued with a 50 penalty notice.

Bexhill police were well prepared for violence as a result of the football.

They took a firm approach from the beginning, telling landlords that if they exceeded their 250 customer limit they would be shut down, and their presence was clearly evident around the expected "hot spots".

PC Avery was on patrol with PC Steven Prince when they witnessed the assault on a Portuguese supporter.

"We intervened and spoke to the attacker, but a lot of his mates pulled him away. We watched him go in the Devonshire and have a couple more beers.

"When later he walked away with two of his mates, we arrested him around the corner."

They arrested him for a racially aggravated assault and violent crime in a public place.

Bexhill police were told beforehand to deal with troublemakers in a "robust fashion".

They had issued warnings prior to the match that trouble would not be tolerated.

PC Avery said: "If you want to watch the football, that is fine. But behave in an orderly fashion or you will be arrested and taken away from the area. Continued on page 3

f the incident at the Castle, he commented: "They are just drunken yobs at the end of the day - the people who go out and have a lot of beer, and the mentality is if it all goes wrong, we are going to create problems.

"Not everyone who drinks in the Castle and the Devonshire has that mentality, so they spoil it for everyone else."

"There were times when people were coming out and you could see they were upset by the result.

"They were shouting and swearing, effing and blinding in the street. But at that time there was hardly anyone in the street apart from football supporters and us.

"It didn't seem appropriate to take action - we just diverted their attention from anger."

Acting Inspector Michael Mann commented: "Overall I would say we got off lightly. The initial reaction of a few drunken individuals spoiled it for the rest.

"We had additional resources because we knew results can trigger violence....but on the whole there was very little trouble across Bexhill, just a couple of isolated incidents."

"The potential was there, but because the incidents were dealt with quickly and officers were on hand it was contained very quickly."