Streaker mum has ban lifted by court

BY ROB GIBSON

A mum who received a threeyear football ban for streaking at an MK Dons match has spoken out about her 'hooligan' nightmare.

Bev Heyward, 47, was handed the football banning order, commonly associated with violent hooligans, after she ran onto the pitch topless during the Dons' home tie against Tranmere in 2005.

The 'fair-weather' fan, who was sitting with a female friend, pleaded guilty to going onto the playing area without a lawful excuse but was not prepared for the trauma that the resulting banning order would bring.

Bev, who lived in Milton Keynes for 25 years, reappeared at the city's magistrates' court last Wednesday to appeal for the order to be scrapped because it was causing her unnecessary fear and stress.

She said: "I'm not a thug or a hooligan but I've had to surrender my passport every time England play abroad. Every time, I've had to attend the police station alongside real hooligans.

"It's been very frightening for me and very upsetting.

"I've had to declare on job applications that I'm a criminal, when all I did was take my top off and the match wasn't even stopped.

"I don't know why I did it, I wasn't even into football then."

District Judge Kevin English agreed to drop the ban last week.

At the time, her topless cameo was credited with turning the game around for the Dons, who avoided relegation with a 2-1 victory.

Bev, now living in Birkenhead, said: "I gave them a boost.

"Once something has been taken away from you, you've an overwhelming desire to get it back, so I've been avidly following the Dons recently.

"Now I'm a real football fan."