Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/869387
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2017 6 News MATTHEW AGUIS A 16-year-old boy from Peterbor- ough who invaded the pitch dur- ing Friday's international football match between Malta and England has been banned from Maltese sporting facilities for a year. Jake Peachey had already warned he would invade the Ta' Qali pitch when he tweeted right before the match: "I'll go live on Instagram… everyone get there for the Malta v England pitch invasion #MalEng". Peachey said he would invade the pitch if his tweet gets retweeted 400 times. Magistrate Joe Mifsud yesterday ordered a ban on the publication of his name, after the boy appeared in court accompanied by his mother. Police Inspector Elliott Magro said the police ended up having to restrain other supporters from copying the young England fan af- ter Peachey made a deft move to evade capture after climbing over the Perspex barriers at the stadium. As Peachey climbed over it ap- peared two police officers had ar- rived in time to catch him, but in- stead he feigned a move to quickly dart to the opposite side. He landed on the pitch and then hopped over the advertising hoardings and ran into the pitch, straight up to Man- chester United star Marcus Rash- ford for a quick chat. He scamp- ered yet again as the police caught up with him, took off his shirt, be- fore finally being apprehended. The youth, who told the court that he is studying computing, spent the night in the police lock- up. Magistrate Mifsud, a football fan, asked what team he supported – Arsenal, Peachey answered. "You always come close but never win anything," joked the magistrate, a known fan of Chelsea and Juven- tus. Inspector Magro said the UK au- thorities were likely to impose a minimum six-year travel ban and a lifetime ban from attending games. Lawyer Mark Mifsud Cutajar, legal aid to the accused, entered a guilty plea. The magistrate, who appeared to see the lighter side of the boy's actions, imposed a one- year conditional discharge and banned the youth from entering sports facilities in Malta for a year, together with a €200 fine. "You're welcome to return to Malta. You're not a hooligan," he was told. magius@mediatoday.com.mt English pitch invader gets Malta ban 16-year-old England fan is banned from Maltese sports facilities after Ta' Qali pitch invasion Catch him if you can! 16-year-old Jake Peachey goes up to Marcus Rashford (top) before being caught up by police (left). Magistrate Joe Mifsud (right) saw the lighter side of the matter. "You're no hooligan," he told Peachey A spot of drunken exhibitionism landed one football fan in trouble with the law and caused him to miss the match he travelled all the way to Malta to see. Charles Ben Overton from Hull in the UK was arraigned before magistrate Joseph Mifsud yester- day after going out on the balcony of his St Julian's hotel room naked on Friday afternoon, making noise to attract the attention of passers- by. 21-year-old Overton, who ap- peared in court still wearing his England football shirt, had come to Malta to watch the international football match between Malta and England but ended spending the night in the police lock-up instead. The man, who told the court that he was due to fly home tomorrow, pleaded guilty to charges of offend- ing public morals and appearing nude in public. "I'm going to conditionally dis- charge you for a year," said the magistrate. "Don't do anything ille- gal before you leave the island," he warned him. The embarrassed man apologised for his actions as he left the court- room. Inspector Nikolai Sant prosecut- ed, lawyer Mark Mifsud Cutajar was legal aid. A man from Senglea has been re- manded in custody on charges of participating in sexual activity with two girls aged just 10 and 12. Leslie Vella, 41, appeared before Magistrate Joseph Mifsud yester- day, accused of having, last month in Qormi and other places, mis- used technology to propose meet- ing a 12-year old girl, participating in sexual activity with the 12-year old and defiling a 10-year old. Inspector Joseph Busuttil ex- plained that the parents of both children had gone to the police after one of the children had told her cousin about the abuse, who then told his mother, who, in turn informed the parents. The 10-year old child had been groped, said the inspector, but in the case of the 12-year old, there had been full in- tercourse. The abuse occurred near a su- permarket in Qormi and in the sea off Marsascala near the site of the Jerma hotel. During his interrogation, the man had admitted to police that he had abused one of the girls at a seaside property, but not the other. The girl had been a willing partici- pant and had already been sexually active, submitted the defence Bail was requested, the defence arguing that there was no short- age of measures that the court could impose to ensure that he did not attempt to suborn witnesses. Inspector Busuttil added that the accused worked with the father of one of the children, which made the arrangement difficult to imple- ment in practice. The magistrate refused to release the man from arrest at this stage: "I can't at this stage fail to pro- tect witnesses. I know the inspec- tor works fast. We are talking two years prison minimum and 3-5 for the other. Had he admitted I would have jailed him for at least four years." The court ordered a ban on the publication of the name of the chil- dren. Lawyer David Camilleri was defence counsel. Drunken England supporter's naked performance lands him in court Man denies having sex with girl, 12, groping 10-year old PHOTO MARTIN AGIUS AMIPP ASIFGP