AFP, LONDON: A Roma fan was jailed for two-and-a-half-years on Friday for his part in the violence ahead of a Champions League semi-final which left a Liverpool supporter in a coma.

Daniele Sciusco, 29, from Rome, admitted violent disorder ahead of the Anfield match on April 24.

A judge at Preston Crown Court, near Liverpool in northwest England, was told Friday that Liverpool supporter Sean Cox, 53, remained in a serious condition as a result of a head injury sustained in the violence, although Sciusco was not directly involved in his injuries.

Passing sentence, Judge Mark Brown said: "The Champions League semi-final was a major international football event that was being televised across Europe, and your actions and the actions of the Italian group tarnished significantly what was intended to be a sporting and enjoyable occasion.