Flares were thrown onto the field during the match between Hà Nội FC and Nam Định last September. One of Hà Nội's supporters was hospitalised after being hit in the second half. — VNA/VNS Photo
HÀ NỘI — Vũ Trung Trực, a supporter of Nam Định FC, has been sentenced to four years in prison for public order offences and deliberately inflicting injuries by setting off flares.
Hà Nội’s Đống Đa District Court on May 19 also sentenced Trần Đắc Chương to eight months and Trần Văn Sùng to six months for resisting and obstructing officers on duty. Both of them are also from Nam Định Province.
According to the indictment of the district’s People Procuracy, Trực, 36, attended a match between Nam Định and Hà Nội FC at Hàng Đẫy Stadium on September 11, 2019.
Trực bought 20 flares from an online shop and travelled from Nam Định to Hà Nội. He brought eight of the flares, including two parachute flares, to the stadium’s Stand B.
He managed to pass security checks by concealing the banned items in a loud speaker.
Around the 55th minute of the match, when the score was 4-1 for Hà Nội, he fired a parachute flare to Stand A, where supporters of the hosts were seated.
The device hit a female fan and seriously burned her thigh. She had to undergo two surgeries.
Shortly after that, Trực left the stadium and was caught by the police several days later.
Vũ Trung Trực seen at the Đống Đa District Police station, several days after he fired a flare that hurt a female supporter. —Photo laodong.vn
Meanwhile, Chương, 19, was identified as the one who kicked a police officer three times during a stand-off at the same match. Sùng tried to throw water bottles at another police officer.
During the investigation and at the court, all three expressed their deep regret for what they did, and wished to be forgiven by the victims and people.
Hà Nội won the match 6-1 but were ordered to play behind closed doors for two matches on home turf together with a fine of VNĐ85 million (US$3,700). Nam Định suffered the same punishment with no fans in two matches on away ground. — VNS
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