Man Utd Fan Who Threw Smoke Grenade At Fergie's Final Match Handed Banning Order

A Manchester United fan has been handed a three-year football banning order after throwing a smoke grenade during Sir Alex Ferguson's final match in charge. Karl Henson, from Eccles, was also given an eight-week jail term, suspended for 12 months, after the incident during the 5-5 draw at West Bromwich Albion in May. The game marked the end of Ferguson's 27 years at Old Trafford. Henson, of Bakewell Road, Eccles, Salford, was found guilty of possessing a smoke grenade at a sporting event.

 

During his trial, 29-year-old Henson said that he picked up the smoke grenade after someone else activated it. He said he held it above his head for up to 40 seconds in a bid to avoid ‘his legs getting burned’ and to keep other people ‘out of harm’s way’ and claimed that someone else took it out of his hand and threw it onto the pitch from the Smethwick End. But magistrates rejected this and Henson, who defended himself in court, was found guilty. They also ordered him to pay £300 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Former West Brom assistant chief steward Mick Hodgetts was due to give evidence on Wednesday but died in a car accident last Saturday. Suki Rai, prosecuting, attempted to make an application for Sandwell magistrates’ court to listen to hearsay evidence – meaning that Mr Hodgetts’ witness statement would have been heard by the bench without Henson being able to question its content.

Magistrates decided not to grant any adjournment for that to happen – and the case proceeded because of the willingness of Albion’s senior licensee steward Patrick Cook to appear as a witness. Mr Cook said he watched Henson holding the smoke grenade before he threw the device. Mr Cook said: ‘He was just smiling. It was so blatant.’