FOOTBALL FANS HAVE RIGHTS SHOCK

An Englishman's right to fall asleep during a boring football match was solemnly upheld by a court yesterday, in a triumph for Middlesbrough FC's most famous fan.

A judge dismissed the conviction of Adrian Carr, a 28-year-old machinist, on the charge of being drunk in a sporting arena during a 4-0 thrashing of Boro by Arsenal on a hot August day last year.

The judge, Michael Taylor, who declared his own season ticket for the Premiership side, also restored Mr Carr's confiscated £370 ticket.

He told Teesside crown court:

"This is a prosecution that should never have been brought. It is the right of every Englishman at a football match to fall asleep if they want to."

Mr Carr was also repaid £150 costs and had his two-year conditional discharge by magistrates changed to an acquittal.

"It's like beating the Magpies [Newcastle] to win the league," he told supporters. "It's just a shame it took this long for people to see sense, as this has been a complete waste of taxpayers' money."