An English soccer fan accused of assaulting a policeman during the Euro 2000 tournament in Belgium has received the maximum sentence of twelve months in jail.

The fan, Mark Forrester from Birmingham, was found guilty by a Belgian court, and will serve at least half the sentence in a Belgian prison.

The judge said Forrester's defence that he was only taking photographs was not accepted, as he was clearly identified kicking and punching a police officer.

He was arrested during violence in Brussels a day before England played Germany.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service