Five fined for Head Street World Cup bus shelter destruction

Fans spilled out on to Head Street, Colchester, after each of the Three Lion’s fixtures during the tournament and celebrations were mostly good natured.

But there was disorder after the 2-0 quarter-final victory over Sweden on July 7.

Supporters were seen clambering on to the shelters in Head Street and two were destroyed as people dived off them onto the waiting crowds below.

The repair bill has been estimated at more than £1,000.

Essex Police gathered evidence on body worn cameras during the celebrations and appealed for information in the weeks after the tournament finished in a bid to track down the people who had scaled the structures.

Eight men were summonsed to Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.

Harrison Dalton, 23, of Flagstaff Road, Colchester, Thomas Odgen, 28, of Mill Fold, Halifax, Liam Worster, 19, of Queen Elizabeth Way, Colchester, Luca Warren, 22, of Clover Court, Stanway, and Mark Kalvans, 32, of Denry Crescent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, all admitted a single charge of criminal damage.

They were each fined £300 and all ordered to pay £250 compensation to DC Transport - a firm which provides street furniture across the UK.

Each of them must also pay a £30 victim surcharge and £105 costs.

The three other men - William Merrels, 18, of Crimea Walk, Colchester, Grant Mitchel, 28, of Axial Drive, Colchester, and Keenan Tazzini, 22, of Wakelin Way, Witham, had their cases adjourned until September 11.

They are due to appear at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on that date.

Police stepped up patrols as the tournament went on last summer and made similar arrangements for England’s UEFA Nations League.

Colchester Council made inquiries about showing the latter stages of the World Cup on the summer screen in Castle Park.

But police blocked the bid saying it was at short-notice and citing logistical and public safety issues.

Gareth Southgate’s side crashed out in the semi-finals to Croatia, eventually finishing fourth.