Ipswich supporter 'feared for life' when Maidstone fan fell on her from stand above

A man is accused of assault after falling from the upper tier at Ipswich Town on to home supporters. John Ryan, pictured at a previous court hearing, is accused of assault after falling from the upper tier of Portman Road A woman has told a jury she thought she "could have died" when a football fan fell on to her from the upper tier of a stand during a match. Joanne Peters, who has scoliosis, was injured when 62-year-old John Ryan landed on her at Ipswich Town's Portman Road ground in January 2024. Ipswich Crown Court heard how Peters initially thought the box behind her had collapsed and she had been left "terrified" by the impact.

Ryan, of Rochester Street, Chatham, Kent, denies one count of assault by beating and one count of actual bodily harm. The jury has retired to consider its verdicts. Ryan had been one of thousands of Maidstone United supporters who saw their non-league club win 2-1 in the FA Cup. The court heard he had been celebrating a goal in the Cobbold Stand upper tier above Peters when he fell, slid down a sloping roof and landed on the Ipswich supporters below. "I thought the box behind us had collapsed into us," Peters tearfully told the court. "He landed on my shoulder. The pressure of