Jailed football fan awaits appeal verdict

Mr Forrester spoke to the press after the hearing

An English football fan jailed for inciting violence during the Euro 2000 championship was convicted without any evidence to prove his involvement, a Belgian appeal court has heard.

Mark Forrester, 34, was the only English fan detained and put on trial during the tournament under a 'fast track' system introduced to clamp down on soccer hooligans.

Mr Forrester, of Great Barr, Birmingham, was released on appeal after serving one month of his year-long sentence, on the grounds that he had not been given enough time to prepare his defence.

But after viewing video footage not shown at the original trial, public prosecutor Robert Ruys acknowledged there was no evidence the Briton had attacked police or incited others to riot.

I find it strange that the police only arrested one person for causing violence

Robert Ruys
Public prosecutor

The appeal judges will announce their verdict on 25 April.

After his conviction, Mr Forrester was condemned as a "soccer yob" and lost his job as a plant hire manager.

He had been accused of initiating violence among England fans in Brussels the night before the England vs Germany match in Charleroi.

It was claimed that he had deliberately provoked trouble, before moving away to avoid arrest.

'Standing calmly'

The appeal court saw video footage, which Belgian police had said was unavailable at the original trial, showing Mr Forrester as an onlooker near to scuffles between rival fans.

At no time did the 15-minute film show him attacking police or taking part in any violence.

"The video does not show him involved in trouble," said Mr Ruys. "I find it strange that the police only arrested one person for causing violence.

"You can see Mr Forrester standing calmly with his friends."

The video evidence was clear and even the prosecutor said the police case did not stand up

Mark Forrester

At the original trial Eric de Roos, a police officer who had been on hooligan-spotting duty, testified that he had seen Mr Forrester inciting trouble and hitting police officers.

He repeated that claim at the appeal court and was supported by a second officer, Lucien Jorissen, who said he had seen Mr Forrester causing trouble.

But the public prosecutor expressed concern that this officer came forward at the last minute.

He said the case was complex and should never have been brought under the 'fast track' procedure, which was introduced specifically to target violence during the tournament.

'Video evidence clear'

Mr Forrester remains unemployed and received help for his appeal from the campaign group Fair Trials Abroad (FTA).

Speaking after the hearing, he said: "The video evidence was clear and even the prosecutor said the police case did not stand up.

"But I am anxious that I am cleared totally and not just because they believe there is insufficient evidence."

Stephen Jakobi of the FTA believes the case should never have been brought, and he said: "Even the prosecutor virtually asked the judges for an acquittal".

He added: "I don't think I've seen anything as bad as this in western Europe and I think there must be now a Belgian inquiry into this whole case."