Billy Sharp: Man jailed for headbutting Sheffield United footballer during pitch invasion

A man has been jailed for headbutting Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp during a pitch invasion after a match on Tuesday night.

Robert Biggs, 30, an electrical engineer from Derbyshire, was jailed for 24 weeks after he admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and going on to the playing area at a football match.

Sharp, 36, was knocked to the ground after Nottingham Forest beat Sheffield on penalties at home at the end of the Championship play-off semi-final.

He was left "bleeding, angry, shook up" and needing stitches after the attack, which was caught on camera, Sheffield boss Paul Heckingbottom said.

Sentencing Biggs at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, District Judge Grace Leong said: "The video clip proves to me that you were running towards Billy Sharp and that you dodged all the other spectators to get towards him.

"I am of the view that it was a targeted act of aggression... even if it was not premeditated. The forceful impact resulted in a very unpleasant injury to Mr Sharp.

"You must have seen him fall over but you did not stop to check if he was alright or whether he was seriously injured. This is so serious that a custodial sentence must be imposed."

A separate charge of illegally entering the pitch was dropped.

Biggs, a Nottingham Forest season-ticket holder who earns £55,000 a year, did not oppose an application seeking to ban him from football matches.

Nottingham Forest said after the attack that whoever was responsible would be banned for life.

Lawyers for Biggs had urged the judge to give him a suspended sentence, saying he and his girlfriend would not be able to keep up monthly mortgage repayments of more than £1,000 if he was jailed.

But the judge told Biggs: "Given the gravity of this offence, where thousands were present to witness it, there has to be an element of deterrence.

"You headbutted Mr Sharp, who was looking elsewhere at the time and could not have taken any avoiding action.

"His lip had to be stitched afterwards and that is not a minor injury."

Biggs was ordered to pay Sharp £500 in compensation, as well as £85 in costs and a £128 victim surcharge.

'Mindless idiot ruined an unbelievable night'

Biggs attacked Sharp as supporters poured on to the pitch at the City Ground to celebrate after the second of two legs left the sides at 3-3 on aggregate and Forest won 3-2 on penalties.

It secured them a play-off final showdown against Huddersfield on 29 May at Wembley Stadium and the chance of a top-flight return for the first time since 1999.

Sharp, who went to Forest on loan for the 2012-13 season, said "one mindless idiot ruined what was an unbelievable night of football".

He wrote on Twitter yesterday: "As an ex-Forest player I will not let one scumbag ruin my respect for the Forest fans."