Boh's fans jailed over bar attack
Four Dublin football fans who smashed up a Derry bar before a cup final match were today jailed for three months.
Every window in the Tavern Bar was broken and a girl injured after up to 30 Bohemians supporters hurled missiles at the premises.
The men were attending Derry’s FAI Eircom League Cup Final game against Dublin-based Bohemians last night.
Customers in the London Street bar were showered in glass and debris strewn across the floor.
Owner Kingsley Curry said there were only four drinkers inside at the time.
“They were throwing stones and bottles, whatever they could get their hands on. There was no glass left in any of the windows,” he said.
The attack happened at around 7pm last night as fans made their way to the match.
At Londonderry Magistrates’ Court RM Barney McElholm imposed the three month sentences after the owner called for them to be punished.
Evan Kane, 19, from Upper Dorset Street, was convicted of riotous behaviour. Francis O’Reilly, 28, from Clonturk Park; Graham Shannon, 20, from Ventry Drive, Cabra, and Gavin Hanly, 21, of McKee Park, all Dublin, were all convicted of riotous behaviour and criminal damage.
Mr Curry added: “A couple of bar stools were damaged and the staff were badly shook up.”
The proprietor said the girl hurt was aged in her 20’s and had been left very shocked.
She was taken to hospital and is understood to have suffered ligament damage to her hand.
A PSNI spokesman said: “The arrests are a result of good pro-active police work and speedy review of CCTV footage.”
Donna Best, a sister-in-law of the owner, said: “It is very dispiriting and it is playing on our nerves and my sister never slept last night. Her nerves are bad and her daughter took two panic attacks.
“We are distraught and at the end of our tether.”
SDLP councillor Sean Carr said he was dismayed.
“The people of Derry are totally disgusted that there was an attack on the Tavern pub on London Street by a band of so-called football fans,” he said.
