Fans threaten to sue West Yorks police

Last updated : 11 October 2002 By Michael Morris
A group of Cardiff City fans who claim they were violently assaulted by police in the north of England are threatening to launch legal action.

Up to 20 members of a supporters' club have said they were injured in a fracas with West Yorkshire Police in April 2002.

The alleged attacks took place when the so-called Valley Rams fans travelled to watch the Bluebirds play at Huddersfield.

Gwynn Davies
Gwynn Davies is calling for officers to be jailed

One supporter has now called for some of the police officers to be thrown out of the force and jailed for their part in the incident.

Earlier this week, charges of disorderly conduct and threatening behaviour against nine fans were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Video footage shot by one of the fans led the CPS to drop the charges against fans, who had been arrested for threats to kill and assault.

Gwynn Davies from Cwmaman, who was filming that day, has called for the fans claiming injuries to be awarded damages.

"More than that, we want to see justice," he said.

"Some of these people should not only be thrown out of the police, they should be put in jail themselves for assault."

West Yorkshire Police said the discontinuation of any criminal case was always of concern and that they would need to review the matter with the CPS.

Any subsequent action would depend on the outcome of those discussions.

Stinging pain

Some supporters believed that previous incidents, including crowd trouble at a televised FA Cup tie between Cardiff and Leeds United, led to a heavy police presence in Huddersfield.

Russell Meeke
Russell Meeke still suffers headaches

One of those injured, Russell Meeke, claimed he was hit over the head with a truncheon by an officer.

"When he hit me, it stung like hell - I took my cap off and there was blood trickling down my face," he said.

"Since that day, I have been having headaches and pains in the head."

The Huddersfield-based lawyer representing the Cardiff fans said the video evidence was "very damning indeed", and he was sure some officers from West Yorkshire police would face prosecution.

Michael Sisson-Pell, from Carr & Co, also demanded a separate investigation into the incident by an outside force, and not by the colleagues of the officers.