A TEENAGE Sheffield United fan has been handed a three-year football banning order after admitting being involved in a group attacking a Middlesbrough FC fan after a match descended into violence.

Christopher Mitchell, 19, was involved in clashes outside the Riverside Stadium when the line between home and away fans was breached.

He admitted the public order offence today.

More than 200 people were involved in violence as fans left the stadium, on August 12, with children witnessing some of the scuffles.

Mitchell was identified on CCTV as being one of those taking part.

Three other men, Callum Wright, 29, Ryan Havenhand, 34 and Alex Leverton, 21, also appeared at Teesside Magistrates Court separately today.

Wright admitted a public order offence and was fined £250 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

However, he was not banned from matches because the court heard he only assaulted a police officer because he had first been pushed to the ground by him, then pushed towards the home fans, as the officer mistook him for a Boro fan.

Andrew White, prosecuting Mitchell, who is from Brinsworth, Rotherham, said Sheffield United fans started "becoming aggressive towards stewards" after Sheffield United equalised, but then had the goal disallowed.

He said: "There was large scale disorder inside and outside, involving numerous Sheffield United and Boro supporters."

Footage showed Mitchell was part of a group of fans who breached the car park gate before a group approached a Boro fan, who was cornered against a fence, and they started punching and kicking him even after he fell to the floor.

The incident was broken up by stewards and police and later the footage was sent to South Yorkshire Police, who identified Mitchell as being among the group, before he disappeared into the crowd.

The bodycam footage was viewed by magistrates.

The court heard that Mitchell had believed the fan he attacked had spat at him shortly before the incident, and admitted he had later hit the Boro fan, something he realised was wrong.

Stewart Haywood, for Mitchell said: "You have read the outline of the case from the police, that would indicate that there is only one side to blame here, and that is his side. But the five minutes of CCTV show a very different picture.

"It is clearly six of one and half a dozen of the other."

He said Mitchell "very quickly realised" that what he had done was wrong and stepped back into the crowd.

"It is not right to class this as gang-related violence," he said. "He acted on his own. It is a mistake he genuinely regrets."

Chairman of the bench Keith Kitching gave Mitchell a 12-month community order, 200 hours of unpaid work, and the three-year football banning order.

He said: "Let me say that what we have seen on that screen today was absolutely disgraceful.

"Behaviour like that can't go unpunished. I am not saying it was one side or the other side, it was very unpleasant to watch.

"However this matter was an aggressive action of short duration and as a result of alleged provocation. We have taken into account your remorse and the fact you have no previous convictions."

Mr Havenhand pleaded not guilty and will stand trial on December 6, and Mr Leverton also denied the public order offence and will return for trial on December 11.