A FOOTBALL fan arrested on the edge of violence between rival supporters after the York v Bury match has escaped a soccer ban.

York magistrates heard that Paul John Melia, 34, had a previous conviction for football-related violence and that Bury magistrates had banned him from soccer games for six months in 1991.

But when prosecutor Jane Chadwick asked for him to be banned again because a police officer had arrested him heading towards a large-scale outbreak of football violence, York magistrates declined to act.

They said that there was no evidence directly linking Melia with the disturbance between York and Bury fans.

Last week, six fans received bans for violence in York related to the York v Hartlepool match.

Melia, of Derwent Drive, Bury, pleaded guilty to a public order offence. He was granted a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £55 court costs.

Mrs Chadwick said a police officer saw Melia, who had been drinking, heading towards the disturbance in Station Rise at about 6.55pm on Saturday.

When the officer blocked his way, Melia shouted obscenities at him and he was arrested after ignoring warnings to behave himself.

For Melia, Jane Pattison said he attended 95 per cent of Bury's home matches and had been to Saturday's match at Bootham Crescent.

He had been going to catch the 7pm train to Manchester when he saw a distressed 15-year-old involved in the disturbance and wanted to help him.

Updated: 10:40 Thursday, February 27, 2003