THE wife of a football fan left with permanant brain injuries was abused outside court today after 11 men were found guilty of offences related to the assault.

Simon Dobbin, now 45, was among a group of Cambridge United fans who were assaulted in East Street, Southend, at 7.15pm on March 21, 2015.

Eight men were found to have been directly involved in the violent disorder, while three were involved in a conspiracy. Another man was cleared of taking part in the conspiracy but found guilty of hiding one of the men in his bedroom.

Mr Dobbin's wife Nicole emerged from Basildon Crown Court to speak to reporters and said: "Justice for Dobbo!"

But within seconds friends and family of some of the defendants began hurling abuse at the 46-year-old. 

One man said: “Your old man was the most violent out of all of them.” Adding cruelly: “He’ll always be like that.” Another woman shouted: “He went and smashed up 20-year-old boys.”

There is no evidence to suggest this is true. Eight police cars arrived to disperse the mob, after which Nicole gave a calm and dignified statement to the media.

She said: “This was the right result, justice has been served for Simon. No matter what people say, we know he was innocent. They can make up stories if they like, but we know justice has been served.

“It’s been a long time coming. Two-and-a-half years we have waited for this result. I’m just over the moon.

“Finally someone is paying for what they’ve done to my husband. He wil never be the same again but we can move forward from this.

“We are going o bring Simon to sentencing because I don’t think people realise the impact of his injuries and he needs to be here.

“It’s closure for him as well. He’s fully aware of what’s going on. He can’t communicate but when we talk to him he’s fully aware of what we’re saying. Come Monday it will be about looking forward to our future together and forgetting about this day.”

When asked about the lengthy six-week trial, Nicole said it was “horrendous”.

She said: “We heard things we didn’t expect to hear. The way he was attacked and just left for dead.

“Sitting in the court looking at them smiling, trying to goad us, it’s been a nightmare but one we have got through as a family.”

Speaking after the hearing, Det Chief Insp Martin Passmore addressed the disgraceful scenes outside court.

He said: “I want to make it absolutely clear that there is no information and no evidence that remotely suggests that Simon Dobbin is anything other than a thoroughly decent, upstanding man and he had done absolutely wrong on that day.

“He was a totally innocent victim of a pre-planned attack.”

  • Ryan Carter, 21, of York Road, Southend-  guilty of violent disorder
  • Jamie Chambers, 24, of Coleman Street, Southend- guilty of violent disorder
  • Lewis Courtnell, 33, of Stadium Road, Southend- guilty of violent disorder
  • Philip McGill, 32, of Hornby Avenue, Westcliff- not guilty of violent disorder, guilty of conspiracy
  • Scott Nicholls, 40, of Little Spenders, Basildon- guilty of violent disorder
  • Michael Shawyer, 31, of Belgrave Road, Leigh- not guilty of violent disorder, guilty of conspiracy by majority of 11-1
  • Greg Allen, 29, of Western Avenue, Westcliff- not guillty of violent disorder, guilty of conspiracy
  • Thomas Randall, 22, of Seaforth Avenue, Southend- guilty of violent disorder
  • Alexander Woods, 25, of Fairmead Avenue, Westcliff- guilty of violent disorder
  • James Woods, 25, of Fairmead Avenue, Westcliff- guilty of violent disorder
  • Matthew Petchey, 26, of Lascelles Gardens, Rochford- guilty of violent disorder
  • Ian Young, 41, of Brightwell Avenue, Westcliff- not guilty of conspiracy, guilty of assisting an offender
  • Rhys Pullen, 21, of Bridge Road, Wickford, admitted violent disorder before the trial

The men will be sentenced on Monday.