Man admits kicking officer during Villa Park clash

A man has admitted kicking a police officer after violence broke out before an Aston Villa game against Legia Warsaw in November 2023.

Dawid Dembler was masked when he "ran up behind the officer, attacked him and then fled," said West Midlands Police.

At Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday, the 35-year-old, of Anson Road, Bentley, Walsall, admitted assaulting an emergency worker. He was released on bail ahead of sentencing on 29 August.

Five officers were injured after fans of the Polish football club used flares and debris as weapons ahead of the Europa Conference League match at Villa Park, the force said.

Det Insp Tom Lyons, from West Midlands Police, said Dembler's act was "a cowardly attack on an officer who had his back turned as he worked hard to contain a violent crowd of away fans at the Witton Lane coach park gate".

"It caused the PC to stumble forward, but thankfully there was no lasting injury and quick work by officers nearby meant Dembler was swiftly identified and arrested," he said.

Officers from 11 forces worked alongside West Midlands Police on the night of violence.

The force added it trawled through 700 hours of body-worn camera footage to identify the officer hurt.

"We were able to identify that it was a West Mercia officer who had been supporting the operation on the night," Mr Lyons said.

"The footage showing him jolting forward was matched to other images, and we established that it was Dembler's kick that had caused it."

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