A MIDDLESBROUGH fan is still facing the prospect of a football banning order after he attempt to have the case dismissed was refused.

Julie Phillips was convicted in Birmingham Magistrates court for her part in a Koran ripping incident at a Boro game in December.

The 51-year-old of Kenmore Road, Middlesbrough, is already banned by Middlesbrough FC for life but Cleveland Police is applying for the banning order, which would mean she would be unable to travel to away games.

The force claims that she has caused or contributed to violence or disorder in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, namely numerous acts of disorder on various dates.

However, today (Thursday, October 23) her legal representative Alison Gurden argued that it would be an abuse of process as her client should not be facing another court action, if Birmingham Magistrates had failed to impose a football banning order.

District Judge Kristina Harrison dismissed the application and decided the hearing would go ahead at a date to be confirmed in the New Year.

She said: "There is no evidence that the magistrates court in Birmingham had all the evidence put before them, they heard nothing in relation to her previous convictions connected to football matches. Therefore this is not an abuse of process."

In May, Phillips was found guilty of committing a religiously aggravated public order offence by magistrates. She was fined £300 and ordered to pay £400 costs.