Fan cleared of assaults after fall from Ipswich stand
A jury at Ipswich Crown Court found Maidstone United supporter John Ryan not guilty of assault charges after he fell from an upper stand during a match and landed on two Ipswich fans. The verdict means he was not held criminally responsible for the injuries, while the incident raised questions about the risks around celebrations in the stands.
Ryan, 62, fell at Portman Road during Maidstone’s 2-1 FA Cup win over Ipswich in January 2024, sliding down a sloping roof between the tiers. He said he could not stop himself and was unsure whether he had been pushed or slipped; the prosecution said he had drunk five cans of lager. Joanne Peters described whiplash, numb hands and internal bruising, while Aaron Rose said he was kicked in the head. Ryan apologised after the verdicts, calling the fall an accident.
- John Ryan was cleared of two assault charges.
- He fell from an upper stand during Maidstone’s 2-1 cup win.
- Two Ipswich supporters described injuries from the fall.
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Portman Road is Ipswich Town’s football ground, and the FA Cup is a knockout competition involving clubs from across English football. Maidstone United, a non-league club, played Ipswich there in January 2024.
During the match, Maidstone supporter John Ryan fell from an upper stand, sliding down a sloping roof between tiers and landing on two Ipswich supporters. The incident drew attention to the risk of falls when fans celebrate in crowded stands.
The case concerned whether Ryan was criminally responsible for the other supporters’ injuries. Joanne Peters reported whiplash, numbness in her hands and internal bruising; Aaron Rose said he was kicked in the head.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The acquittal can be understood as recognising that a serious injury does not by itself prove a criminal assault: Ryan said he could not stop his fall and was unsure how it began, and the jury found the charges unproven. Treating an unintended fall as an accident respects the distinction between harmful outcomes and deliberate or culpable conduct, while leaving room for sympathy for those injured.
The case against
The injured fans may reasonably feel that the verdict leaves unanswered whether Ryan’s actions contributed to the danger, particularly given the prosecution’s evidence that he had drunk five cans of lager and the risks of moving or celebrating near the stand’s sloping roof. From this perspective, accountability matters when someone’s conduct may foreseeably endanger others, even if the fall itself was not deliberate; the injuries described were substantial.