Bottle lob yob caught by DNA

9:51am Sunday 29th June 2008

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A YOB who threw a bottle at soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been banned from football -after being trapped by his DNA.

Newcastle United fan Tony Heslop hurled a bottle as Ronaldo celebrated after scoring at St James's Park.

"He said he had been annoyed at the over-elaborate celebrations in front of the Newcastle fans and threw the bottle in frustration."

Rebecca Geddes, prosecuting

Now the 18-year-old has been hit with a three-year stadium ban after his DNA was found on the bottle.

Newcastle Magistrates Court heard Heslop saw red when the so-called winking winger put Manchester United 3-0 up and celebrated in front of the Geordie fans.

The trainee electrician, of Arrow Close, Killingworth, Newcastle, hurled his cola bottle at the 23-year-old star, before disappearing into the crowd, thinking he'd got away with it.

But referee Chris Foy handed it to police as he cleared the pitch and samples taken from it matched those given by Heslop when he had been arrested and cautioned for car theft as a youth.

Rebecca Geddes, prosecuting, said: "On Saturday, February 23, Newcastle were playing a football match at their home stadium of St James's Park.

"They weren't playing very well and were 2-0 down to Manchester United when Cristiano Ronaldo scored a third goal and ran over to the North East corner, in front of the home fans.

"He began to celebrate and during the celebrations, two half-empty Coke bottles were thrown towards the player."

Ms Geddes added: "The referee handed the bottles to police officers and they were submitted for forensic analysis.

"One of them had DNA on it that was traced back to the defendant.

"As a result, he was cautioned and arrested and interviewed at the police station, where he said he had been annoyed at the over-elaborate celebrations in front of the Newcastle fans and threw the bottle in frustration."

Heslop admitted a charge of throwing an article on to the field of play and was hit with a court bill of £155.

Northumbria Police's football intelligence unit applied for a banning order on the grounds it would prevent future incidents of violence or disorder at Toon games.

Heslop did not contest the application after it was revealed he had already been given a two-year ban by Newcastle United, who booted him out after learning of the evidence against him.

The order will run for three years and prevents Heslop from going to any match in England and Wales.

He must not enter Newcastle city centre during the 24 hours leading up to a game.

John Foley, defending, said: "It is to his credit that he admitted the offence when he was interviewed.

"He wasn't arrested at the ground and nobody saw him throw the bottle but DNA showed he had touched it.

"He went voluntarily to the police station, having been written to and when he was interviewed he said: 'Yes, I threw the bottle and I did it because Mr Ronaldo was over- excited at having scored for Manchester United and was demonstrating that in front of the home crowd, not his own fans."