“This was unbelievably serious and prior to the passing of the Sentencing Act 2026, there is no doubt in my view that you would be going directly to custody today.”
A Wolves supporter who mocked the victims of August’s A66 horror crash has been handed a four-year football banning order and ordered to carry out community work.
University student Bradley Aston was kept in custody for his own safety after footage was posted on social media of him smiling and holding up a mobile phone towards Middlesbrough fans with the message “Police Killed Your Own” on the screen.
Aston was charged on Monday with a public order offence of causing harassment, alarm or distress, and pleaded guilty to the charge during an appearance at Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old, who is now considering withdrawing from a sport performance analysis course, sat with his arms folded in the dock as a statement from Cleveland Police’s Chief Constable condemned his “vile” actions for causing distress and anger among her workforce, the wider community and to officers’ families.
Cleveland Police charged Aston, who is from the Coalpool area of Walsall, after images of him appeared online following Middlesbrough’s 1-0 win over Wolves at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.
Sentencing Aston to an eight-week jail term suspended for a year and a probation requirement including 100 hours of unpaid work, Deputy District Judge Steven Jonas said he would have passed an immediate jail term were it not for recent changes to sentencing rules.
He told Aston: “This was unbelievably serious and prior to the passing of the Sentencing Act 2026, there is no doubt in my view that you would be going directly to custody today.
“The words that you used were intended to cause not just maximum offence but, as importantly as that, they were intended to provoke a response.
“And that could have resulted in substantial disorder.
“Not only have you offended a vast number of people but you deliberately ran the risk of causing a substantial violent reaction.”
The deputy district judge said there had been an element of planning to the showing of the message on the Snapchat app, and the offence was aggravated by being committed against those working to protect the public.
Accepting that the offence would have an impact on Aston’s proposed career, Mr Jonas told him: “You are remorseful and most importantly you are only 20 years old.
“You are maturing and therefore I will not make it (the football banning order) for the maximum (five-year) period.”
In her statement to the court, read out by Mr Jonas during the hearing, Cleveland’s Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said: “My officers have faced an unprecedented level of trauma that will stay with them forever.”
Some of those affected may not be able to return to work as police officers, the senior officer said, adding: “To see such a vile message has created feelings of grief, anger and dismay.”
Prosecutor Iszabell Hodoroaba told the court Aston had no previous convictions and that images of him “mocking the deaths” had gone viral on social media and caused uproar among fans of both clubs involved in the fixture.
Offering mitigation prior to sentence, defence solicitor Askara Rana said Aston – who is now banned from going within three miles of Molineux before, during and after home games, as well as being banned from other grounds and matches at Euro 2028 – was embarrassed at his actions.
She told the court: “This is an out-of-character incident.
“He acted without thinking about the wider impact and the consequences of his actions.”
Aston’s mother was in court to view the proceedings, Ms Rana said.
The defence solicitor told the hearing: “Not only has he let himself down, he has let his family down, as well as the wider community.”
The defendant is in the second year of his university course, the court heard, and the conviction could have an impact on his future aspirations.
Aston, who also works as a driver, was also ordered to pay a £154 victim surcharge and £85 in costs.