A father-and-son pair of football thugs have been found guilty of a brutal attack on Tube staff following last year's infamous Chelsea vs Cardiff match, which was marred by severe hooliganism.
Dale Stephens, 24, gouged out the eye of an underground worker and punched him in the face after his father, Patrick Stephens, 46, was told to stop urinating on a Piccadilly line platform at South Kensington. Patrick then punched another staff member.
Dale was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and a public order offence and was sentenced jailed for 20 months, while his father was given a three month suspended sentence for common assault. He was also handed a five month curfew order to be enforced by an electronic tag.
The pair had been to watch Chelsea and Cardiff play at Stamford Bridge in February last year, a match that was marred by mass disorder in Kings Road and Fulham Broadway both before and after kick-off. Police are still searching for the ringleaders more than a year on.
Blackfriars Crown Court heard how the men had become aggressive when asked to leave the station but they refused and walked to the platform.
When staff followed and held the train, the pair launched into their brutal assault.
The pair were eventually restrained by the members of staff and an off-duty police officer, before British Transport Police officers arrived and arrested them.
The member of staff suffered a cut to his eye which required medical treatment.
PC Andy Burns, who lead the investigation, said: "The behaviour of Dale Stephens and his father was completely unacceptable.
"The men were abusive to Tube staff and resorted to violence when told they should leave the station.
"This was a nasty attack and thankfully the victims were not seriously injured.
"Violence or abuse against Tube staff will not be tolerated and BTP will make every effort to ensure any offender is put before the courts."
The pair, from Ashford, Middlesex, were sentenced on March 7.
