A Paget man was jailed for six months yesterday after pleading guilty to his role in a fight at a football match at the Devonshire Recreation Club on October 29, 2002.

Jahkiel Samuels, 20, chased another man across the pitch at the Recreation Club while swinging a weapon.

TV footage of the brawl showed gangs of hooligans, including Samuels, chasing each other across the pitch wielding various weapons during a Martonmere Cup semi-final clash between Devonshire Colts and Devonshire Cougars.

After pleading guilty, Samuels said he was only 17 at the time, had turned his life around since and was planning to attend school abroad.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: ?There is nothing to indicate that the defendant was acting in self defence and in full view of the public he terrorised the whole football field in a callous manner, without regard for public safety and causing great alarm to the community.?

Mr. Warner sentenced Samuels to six months in prison for fighting in a public place and six months for possession of an offensive weapon. The sentences are to run concurrently.

Samuels was scheduled to appear in Magistrates? Court on Tuesday, but was headed for Canada where officials stopped him and sent him packing back to Bermuda.

His lawyer, Anthony Richardson, said there was no evidence to suggest Samuels was fleeing Bermuda since he was booked for a return flight.