Website vigilante is a football hooligan

AN anti-paedophile campaigner has admitted being involved with football hooliganism.

Christopher Wittwer, 35, of Oakmead, Aylesbeare, appeared before Exeter Magistrates’ Court charged with affray.

The charge relates to a violent incident before a match between Exeter City and Huddersfield Town on Saturday, May 8 last year.

Police said a large brawl broke out between rival supporters close to the Next store in the city centre at about 2.10pm.

An investigation into the incident was launched by Devon & Cornwall Police’s football intelligence unit.

Wittwer, representing himself at court yesterday, spoke only to confirm his name, age, address and a guilty plea.

He admitted a charge which states that “on May 8, in Exeter’s High Street, Wittwer used or threatened unlawful violence towards other persons and his conduct, together with others, was such as would cause a person at the scene to fear for his personal safety”.

Wittwer will now face sentencing at Exeter Crown Court. Prosecutor Shaun Tipton told the magistrates: “This is a case whereby you have insufficient sentencing power.

“For Mr Wittwer’s benefit, I refer to the mode of trial guidelines. There are aggravating features – there was group action, it was a lengthy incident and there were vulnerable persons present.”

Magistrates committed the case to the city’s Crown Court, where Wittwer is due to appear for sentencing on Friday, February 4.

He was released on bail, with conditions which prohibit him from entering Exeter city centre three hours before and three hours after a football match.

He is also banned from attending any regulated football game, including England matches.

Police are expected to apply for a football banning order against Wittwer at his sentencing.

As previously reported in the Echo, Wittwer launched a website to identify convicted child sex offenders last summer.

The former pub landlord said he intended the site to carry the names, photographs and addresses of thousands of convicted paedophiles throughout the UK.

He said it had been funded by thousands of pounds in donations.

A further five men appeared before the court yesterday charged in connection with alleged violence prior to Exeter City’s match against Huddersfield on May 8.

Brendan Daniel, 24, of Leypark Road, Exeter, Mark Langdon, 20, of Austin Close, Exeter, Darren Bolt, 24, of Salisbury Road, Exmouth, and Joseph Foxworthy, 25, of Old Vicarage Road, Exeter, all pleaded not guilty to a charge of affray.

Their cases have also been committed to the city’s crown court, where they are due to appear on Friday, March 4.

Neil Vooght, 35, of Hazelwood Park, Dawlish, entered no plea to a charge of affray.

He is also due to appear at Exeter Crown Court on March 4.