Police release video of 'worst UK football violence in decades' - as eight men plead guilty

► Have you subscribed to 5 News?: http://bit.ly/5NewsSub ► Eight men have admitted their part in violence following disorder outside a match between Aston Villa and Legia Warsaw in November 2023. West Midlands Police have now released footage showing the full extent of the disorder near Villa Park, Birmingham, when 300 officers from multiple forces faced violent attacks from supporters of the Polish football club - who threw flares, missiles, and debris. The force said six officers were injured, including PC Andy Forbes, who suffered burns after being struck by a flare, and another was knocked unconscious. Two police dogs and two police horses were also hurt during the disorder, which continued for around 30 minutes. Investigators “painstakingly” reviewed around 700 hours of body-worn camera footage from the night, resulting in more than 40 arrests being made. At Birmingham Crown Court on 1 July, seven men pleaded guilty to violent disorder: Karol Talkowski, Marchin Staniec, Gregorsz Grabon, Jaroslaw Gredka, Adrian Mitura, Doran Urbaniak, and Bartlomiej Szmytke. An eighth man, Mariusz Palka, admitted affray. Sentencing will take place in December. Det Insp Tom Lyons, who led the investigation, said: “This was horrific violence from the so-called fans of Legia Warsaw fans, who threw missiles at officers, attacked them and hurled abuse at them. “We had 300 officers, including dog handlers and mounted officers, from a range of forces across the country who were there to keep the peace and ensure fans could enjoy a memorable night of European football. “Sadly it descended into some of the worst violence UK football has seen in decades. “But despite this, the officers on the night displayed bravery and skilful teamwork to deliver a safe operation and protect the public. They showed real courage throughout.” Police confirmed investigations are still ongoing, including efforts to bring additional suspects in Poland before UK courts. ► Follow 5 News on Twitter to keep up to date with the latest news - https://twitter.com/5_News Message us on Facebook to share your opinion - https://www.facebook.com/c5News See our latest pictures and videos on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/c5news/ ► About 5 News: We bring you the stories that matter to you, from around the world and across the UK. 🎥 We post daily playlists with the biggest news of the day, interviews, special reports and investigations. 📺 Catch us on TV on Channel 5 every weekday 5-6pm 📱 Get in touch with us on WhatsApp at +44 7555 500 501 🎧 Listen to "How Did We Get Here? Explaining The News" wherever you get your podcasts: https://podfollow.com/how-did-we-get-here-explaining-the-news Our flagship, hour-long programme at 5pm is watched on Channel 5 by up to a million viewers, with regular news updates throughout the day. ITN changed the TV news landscape when it launched 5 News in 1997, producing Five News for nine years before winning the contract to supply news to Channel 5 again from 2012.