Dean Chalmers had been watching the game between the Magpies and Sunderland at St James’ Park last month
00:51, 09 Apr 2026
St James’ Park(Image: Getty Images)
A drunk Newcastle fan fell down a flight of stairs and was aggressive with staff at St James’ Park during last month’s Derby match. Dean Chalmers had been watching the game between the Magpies and Sunderland AFC but took an “unexpected reaction to two glasses of alcohol” and began causing problems.
A court heard that the 40-year-old was confronted by a supervisor after he was seen staggering around the stands and falling down a flight of stairs but he immediately turned abusive. Chalmers then tried to grab the neck of the staff member and refused to leave the stadium, prosecutors said.
As he was being physically escorted out of the ground, Chalmers still refused to calm down and kicked out as he tried to resist. Chalmers, of Holywell Close, in Arthur’s Hill, was eventually arrested and appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to plead guilty to being drunk in a sports ground.
Prosecutor, Lauren Fisher, said Chalmers was at the Newcastle United match against Sunderland on March 22 this year. A supervisor at the ground then approached him during the game because he was clearly drunk.
Miss Fisher continued: “He was unsteady on his feet to the point he fell down a flight of stairs at the stadium. When the supervisor did speak to the defendant, he was aggressive and he was refusing to be removed from the stadium.
“While speaking with him, the defendant made attempts to grab him by the neck but he was able to restrain him in an arm lock. As the defendant was being escorted physically out the stands, he has kicked out and provided aggressive resistance.”
The court heard that the supervisor was concerned Chalmers would cause serious harm to either himself or others, so the police were informed. Magistrates also heard that Chalmers had stayed out of trouble for 10 years and was last in the dock for possessing an offensive weapon a decade ago.
Andy O’Hanlon, defending, said it Chalmers’s behaviour was due to “two glasses of alcohol that had an unexpected effect”. Mr O’Hanlon added: “It was ‘The Match’. There was a lot of passion there on the day.
“The defendant has some difficulties going on in the background. He’s got mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. On the day, he managed to get tickets to the game and he felt so terrible that he had a couple of glasses of booze to calm him down.
“He doesn’t quite know what it was – it might have been the hate-filled atmosphere in the ground – but he acted like he did and he has no memory of it. He’s really, really sorry. He’s horrified about what he’s done.
“He’s disgraced himself, he’s had his name in the papers and it’s really had an effect on him. Other members of his family have been affected by it too. He is truly sorry.”
Chalmers was fined £120 and must pay £85 costs and a £48 victim surcharge. He was also made subject of a three-year football banning order.