Roma Fan Jailed For Attack On Sean Cox

The Italian man was found guilty on one of two charges related to the brutal assault.

Filippo Lombardi, 21 has been sentenced to three years in jail for attacking Liverpool supporter, Sean Cox, 53 last April when the Italian club traveled to Anfield to play the Reds in the Champions League semifinal. The Rome native, faced a court in Preston, Lancashire, who cleared him of the charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm but found him guilty of the charge of violent disorder.

Lombardi, a former Roma academy graduate, has been sentenced to three years of prison in what was the worst act violence Liverpool suffered in recent memory.

The court viewed closed circuit camera footage showing Lombardi swinging a belt at the Ireland-based Liverpool supporter, while another man punched him to the ground, with the jury reaching a guilty verdict after nine hours.

In the sentencing, Judge Mark Brown was unequivocal in his condemnation of the crime: “It is a feature of the case that during the violent disorder [Cox] was severely injured and that cannot be ignored,” he said.

”The violent disorder did not end with the attack on him because as he was lying unconscious on the ground it carried on regardless near to him and [Lombardi], as is clear from the footage, were in the thick of it.”

Brown went on to say that Lombardi’s goal was “to cause a violent clash with Liverpool fans”.

”The game will probably be remembered not because of the football skill on the field or the result, but because of the awful tragedy Mr. Cox endured and the violent disorder that took place outside the ground.”

Cox suffered severe brain trauma as a result of the attack and is still unable to talk or sit up unaided.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com