Newcastle United fan jailed for 12 months after punching horse

A Newcastle fan appears to aim a punch at a police horse

A Newcastle United fan who admitted punching a police horse has been jailed for 12 months.

Barry Rogerson, 45, assaulted the animal outside St James’ Park following a match against local rivals Sunderland in April.

Sentencing Rogerson to 12 months in prison for violent disorder, Judge Paul Sloan QC said: "You attended the football match and by the time it ended you were much the worse for drink.

"You had taken it in conjunction with prescription medicine knowing you should not have done so.

"The crowd surged forward on two occasions and after the first surge you walked amongst the horses clapping your hands in excitement or pleasure at the events.

"Someone tried to pull you away but you pushed him away.

"A horse started to move towards you and you were told to move back, you had plenty of opportunities to move away.

"You stood your ground and attacked the horse by punching it in the head.

"There was a risk of serious injury, the officer could easily have been thrown from the horse and could have sustained serious injury."

Rogerson, was also banned from attending any football matches in the UK for six years.

The unemployed factory worker punched the police horse in the head during a post-match riot although he has always been remorseful about the event.

“I reacted stupidly. I did not go out to attack a horse,” he said. “I love animals – I’ve got three dogs, a fish pond out the back and I feed foxes across the road.”

“For some reason people are more upset about the fact that I hit a horse than a policewoman getting hurt.

“But I would like to apologise to the horse, to all the mounted section, to people of the North East.

“I am on medication and had been drinking, but that does not excuse what happened.”

Rogerson was one of almost 100 Newcastle fans to be charged for their role in the violence following the game at St James’ Park, although it is fair to say his bizarre part in proceedings has generated the most public interest.

VIDEO: The shocking moment Barry Rogerson hit a police horse...