SEVENTEEN football fans have appeared in court charged with violent disorder near the Liberty Stadium following last year's Swans derby game.

City magistrates dealt with the defendants, who are all allegedly linked to the same incident in Siloh Road, Landore on November 7, over four separate hearings yesterday.

All were charged with an offence of jointly using or threatening unlawful violence together with three or more persons.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction on all defendants apart from one Port Tennant fan, aged 17, who had his case adjourned until March 3. He cannot be named for legal reasons.

All sixteen others will have their cases dealt with at Swansea Crown Court and have been banned from attending football matches while on bail. Teenagers Stuart Jones, aged 18, of Pendre, Bridgend, and Remi Whitelock, 19, of Adare Street, Port Talbot, pleaded not guilty to the offence, as did Nicholas Davies, 21, of Parc Gilbertson, Gelligron, Pontardawe, and Liam Arrigan, 22, of Bartley Terrace, Plasmarl.

Lee Howells, aged 30, of Baptist Well Street, Swansea, Sean Rees, 38, of Brondeg Crescent, Manselton, and Steven Lewis, 46, of Llangyfelach Road, Tirdeunaw also denied the allegation.

A further nine of the accused entered no plea to the charge.

They were Samuel Smith, aged 18, of Gwynedd Gardens, Townhill, Joshua Sprake, 18, of Stepney Road, Burry Port, Thomas Lewis, 19, of Townhill Road, Townhill, Liam Lewis, 19, of Tawe Avenue, Swansea, Jonathan Smith, 21, of Penygraig Road, Townhill, Kevin Richards, 23, of Evans Road, Neath, and Lee Davies, aged 23, of Ravenhill Road, Ravenhill.

Two youths, both aged 17, from Neath and Lansamlet, who cannot be named also entered no plea.

All defendants were bailed on the grounds that don't attend any football games and must — depending on their home address — from the Liberty Stadium when the Swans play.

They also cannot travel to any town or city where the Swans are playing.

Samuel Smith's bail conditions allow him to enter the Cwmlevel grounds near the Liberty Stadium to play for his football team but not when the Swans are playing.

Crown court committal hearings on the defendants will be held on May 5.

julia.bosnyak@swwmedia.co.uk