AN Italian man is due in court in Liverpool today over the assault of Sean Cox ahead of a Champions League game at Anfield last April.
An Italian football fan is accused of leaving Irish Liverpool supporter Sean Cox fighting for his life after the brutal attack.
Filippo Lombardi, 21, will appear at Preston Crown Court today charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on the 53-year-old father of three.
He denies these charges but has admitted a charge of violent disorder.
Mr Cox, from Dunboyne, Co Meath, suffered life changing injuries and was left in a coma after the attack outside Liverpool's ground Anfield before the first leg of the Liverpool and Roma Champions League semi-final clash on April 24.
Fighting erupted near The Albert pub, on Walton Breck Road behind the Spion Kop stand, around 10 minutes before kick-off at Anfield.
Mr Cox, who is originally from Dublin, spent almost five weeks at the Walton Neurological Centre in Liverpool being treated for his injuries.
He has since been transferred to Ireland for continuing medical treatment at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire.
His recovery will be a slow process, his friends and family have said.
Mr Lombardi’s countryman - Daniele Sciusco - was jailed for two-and-a-half years after the outbreak of violence.
Sciusco was not directly involved in causing the injuries to Mr Cox.
A new campaign was started on Thursday - called Support Sean - to help finance his recovery.
The launch, in connection with Mr Cox's Gaelic football club, St Peters GAA Dunboyne, has already been widely shared on social media.
