Football thugs have again been warned they face bans from all domestic and international matches after a man was convicted of threatening behaviour outside the Kassam Stadium.

Darren Dickinson, 21, of Oliver Road, Cowley, Oxford, admitted using disorderly behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress following Oxford United's home clash with Bristol Rovers earlier this season.

Jonathan Stone, prosecuting, told Oxford Magistrates Court yesterday (January 12) that Dickinson was aggressive and abusive towards Pc Carl Hayes and other officers outside the turnstiles of the East Stand on October 25, last year.

He was arrested after he continued to swear at police.

Pc Simon Feist, Oxford police's football liaison officer, said: "We take any threatening, abusive or violent behaviour surrounding football matches extremely seriously.

"Members of the public should be able to attend matches without being confronted with this sort of antisocial behaviour.

"Where arrests take place for such offences we will pursue football banning orders. Successful prosecutions will result in a minimum ban of three years from home and international games."

Tony Ashley, Oxford United's stadium manager and safety officer, said: "We commend Thames Valley Police for pursuing this prosecution.

"Hopefully, this will send the message out to those fans that wish to misbehave that there will be consequences if they do so.

"We want to make it a family club where people can come and enjoy football."

Dickinson admitted a second count of disorderly behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress following an incident in George Street, Oxford, early on November 8, in which he was abusive towards police.

Dickinson was fined £50 for the incident in George Street and ordered to pay £50 costs by district judge Brian Loosley.

He was given a three-year football banning order for the Kassam Stadium incident, fined £50 and ordered to pay £50 costs.

Dickinson was not represented in court by a solicitor and chose not to say anything in his defence.