Eight men have been barred from attending football matches after engaging in “violent disorder” before to a Reading FC vs Oxford United game.
The group was linked to various events in Reading, including St Marys Butts, Friar Street, and Station Approach, approximately 3.40pm on December 12, 2023, before the game began.
Following a hearing at Reading Crown Court on Friday, December 5, 2025, all eight men received suspended prison terms and three-year Football Banning Orders.
Ashton Hastie, 36, of Henry Avery Avenue, Abingdon, was sentenced to one year and seven months in jail, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work and ten rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days.
Ryan Ellaway, 36, of Fitzwaryn Place in Wantage, was sentenced to one year and two months in jail, with an 18-month suspension, 15 RAR days, and 12 sessions of mental health treatment.
James Barnes, 37, of Mandarin Place, Grove, Wantage, was sentenced to one year and nine months in jail, suspended for 18 months, with an alcohol monitoring requirement of 90 days, 120 hours of unpaid work, and eight RAR days.
Colin Whiteley, 58, of Cowley Road, Oxford, was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to do 20 RAR days, a 12-month alcohol treatment obligation, and 80 hours of unpaid work.
Ben Britter, 50, of St. Johns Road, Thatcham, was sentenced to one year and nine months in jail, with an 18-month suspension and 180 hours of unpaid work.
Matthew Hinge, 35, of Fishponds Road, Wokingham, was sentenced to one year and nine months in jail, suspended for 18 months, 20 RAR days, and 150 hours of unpaid work.
Daniel Taylor, 34, of Lower Armour Road, Reading, was sentenced to two years in jail, suspended for 18 months, and has to do 10 RAR days and 180 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.
Craig Green, 35, of Heather Close in Carterton, was sentenced to one year and eight months in jail, with an 18-month suspension, 15 RAR days, and 180 hours of unpaid work.
In addition to the victim surcharge, Green, Whiteley, and Ellaway were ordered to pay £100 in costs, while the other five defendants must pay £250 each.
Supt Adrian Hall, Head of Operations, stated, “This attitude has no place in football, and we will not accept it.
“While the vast majority of fans attend matches quietly, a small number engage in violence and disruption.
“Football Banning Orders impose severe and broad conditions on anyone convicted of football-related offences.
“These bans prohibit anyone from attending any controlled matches in the UK or abroad, and when England plays overseas, offenders must submit their passport at a police station.
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