TWO football thugs from a notorious “firm” have been banned from watching Colchester United for the next three years.

James Hore

TWO football thugs from a notorious “firm” have been banned from watching Colchester United for the next three years.

The Crown Prosecution Service successfully applied for the banning orders against Colchester men Jeffrey Bethell, 27, and Ryan Taylor, 25, following “repeated incidents” of football related disorder.

The court was told that the members of the so-called “Colchester Youth Squad” - which has no affiliation with the League One club - are considered as 'risk' supporters who goaded and taunted opposition fans on numerous occasions between 2007 and 2009.

The incidents often came after the men had been drinking.

Bethell and Taylor will now be excluded from certain areas of Colchester when homes games are played and also from any town where the U's are playing away.

The pair were also barred from using trains, including the London Underground while Colchester United games and England games are played, and will not be allowed in Colchester town centre when international games are played.

The men are the latest youth squad members to be given banning orders.

Last month magistrates banned other offenders including Tyler Porter, 18, of Brightlingsea, Joe Ennew, 18, of Colchester, Rhys Holbrow, 19, of Rowhedge from all football games across England and Wales for the next three years.

Luke Hewitt, 22, of Colchester, received a four year banning order.

Prosecutor and specialist in football related offences, Ian Elkins said: “This behaviour is threatening and intimidating and we hope these banning orders will stop further offences of violence and disorder, in particular, in relation to Colchester Football Club.

“The Crown Prosecution Service is committed to be even more proactive in our work with the police to increase prosecutions of this nature and improve public confidence by dealing with this type of offending.”