Sheffield United’s Rhian Brewster has play-off assault charge dropped

Prosecutors have dropped an assault charge brought against the Sheffield United striker Rhian Brewster after a fan claimed he was stamped on during a pitch invasion.

A brief hearing at Nottingham magistrates court, held in Brewster’s absence on Thursday, was told a charge of common assault against the 22-year-old had been discontinued.

The charge had alleged Brewster assaulted the Nottingham Forest fan George Brinkley at the City Ground after the Championship play-off semi-final on May 17.

His teammate Oli McBurnie still faces the same charge and proceedings against him were adjourned administratively by the same court until next Thursday.

McBurnie, a 26-year-old Scotland international, from Knaresborough in North Yorkshire, was not required to attend court and his lawyer was also not present.

Before adjourning the two-minute hearing, deputy district judge Samantha Rastogi asked prosecutor Freddie Sail: “For Rhian Brewster, I understand Mr Sail that the Crown have discontinued that case?”

Confirming that a discontinuation notice had been served, Mr Sail responded: “That is the position ma’am.”

The judge added: “In relation to the case of Mr Oli McBurnie the case stands adjourned until 10am on the 4th of August.”

The court was told that a review of the case against McBurnie was also taking place.

Forest, who went on to earn promotion to the Premier League, won 3-2 on penalties after the semi-final tie against United ended 3-3 on aggregate. Home fans then invaded the pitch, during which United’s captain Billy Sharp was headbutted by a supporter, who was jailed on May 19 for 24 weeks and handed a 10-year football banning order.