FOUR Manchester United fans have been jailed after they were arrested on the day of the Reds' match against Roma.

The fans - two of which are from Manchester - will now spend Christmas in jail after they were sentenced to at least two years behind bars.

Partially sighted Kyle Dillon, 23, from Mottram, near Hyde, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, after facing charges of assault and resisting arrest.

Meanwhile at the same hearing Michael Burk, 35, from Little Hulton, Salford, and Nicholas Lucas, 18, were jailed for two years and five months.

Richard Wimmer, 39, was given a sentence of two years and six months.

Belief

Kyle's mum Janet had flown out to the hearing with character references and medical statements of support, adamant in the belief that her son would never have started a fight. And when she flew out for the hearing yesterday, she had still not been able to speak to her son since his arrest.

The four arrests followed fighting outside the Stadio Olimpico last Wednesday evening. According to police, the four Manchester United supporters were part of an organised group of 60 hooligans who had broken away from those travelling with the official supporters clubs to the Champions League game in Rome on 12 December.

The police said they made for the River Bar, said to be a notorious hangout for the Roma Ultras, where fighting broke out with bottles and chairs being thrown.

The four men, who were dressed in black with scarves wrapped around their faces, were all identified by Greater Manchester Police spotters outside the ground.

Five United fans were stabbed during skirmishes between a group of 50 rival fans on the Wednesday evening.