Pompey fan fined £1,200 after failing to hand police his passport

A lawyer for Colin Marsh, 27, told magistrates the Pompey fan is ‘no longer interested in football’ and is only interested in his job.

But Marsh was landed with a £1,200 fine at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court after the bench took a dim view of his breaching the banning order.

He admitted failing to surrender his passport in August and October last year.

The defendant had been served a football banning order in 2015 which expired on February 2.

It required him to surrender his passport whenever England were playing matches abroad.

Appearing yesterday before magistrates with no defence solicitor, Marsh originally pleaded not guilty.

He told the court his job working as a mechanic for a world championship motorcycle team meant he was away from the area for most of the year.

Marsh, of Leafy Lane, Whiteley, said his job had resulted in him being unaware he was subject to any banning orders where he had to hand over his passport when leaving the country.

He also claimed he had been advised by a policeman he did not need to surrender his passport.

The defendant then changed his plea to guilty after duty solicitor Sally Martin appeared in court – believing Marsh had already admitted the charge.

‘I advised him to plead guilty,’ she said.

In a dramatic about-turn Marsh then changed his plea to guilty.

‘[Marsh] could have applied to have this banning order lifted if he had known about it, which is shame for him.

‘He is no longer interested in football – his interest is now totally in his job,’ Ms Martin added.

Presiding magistrates Sue Waddle told Marsh, who has previously received football banning orders, to clean up his act. Addresssing Marsh, the magistrate said: ‘If you don’t pay the fine you will be sent to custody. With your track record of ignoring orders it doesn’t bode well.

Marsh was also told to pay a £60 victim surcharge and costs of £80.