Family beg UK government for help as England fan who 'invaded' World Cup dressing room faces a YEAR in jail

The family of England fan Pavlos Joseph today pleaded for the British Government to help him after being told by South African police that he faced up to a year in jail for entering the England dressing room.

Appearing in court today for a second time, Pavlos, 32, was accused of trespass after confronting the England players following the match against Algeria on Friday.

The fan claimed he was directed into the changing room by a stadium official after asking for directions to the toilet.

His family have been told he could be jailed for up to a year and fear he is being made a scapegoat by embarrassed South African authorities.

In the dock: England fan Pavlos Joseph outside Cape Town Magistrates' Court today during a court recess. He is charged with two counts of trespassing and his family have been told he faces up to a year in jail

Pavlos's tearful sister Sylvia Higgins, 44, said: 'He's been made a scapegoat by the South African police. We won't stop fighting until we get him out of there. I want our government to help him. The whole family can't stop crying at the moment.

'To tell you the truth, we're all feeling low. We can't believe that it's come to this. Pavlos shouldn't be standing before court - he didn't do anything that bad. This has got completely out of hand now.

'We'll do everything we can to get him out of there a free man. We spoke to him last night and he seems to be doing okay.

'But we haven't been able to speak to him that much and don't know a huge amount about what's going on out there.'

His trial is likely to begin on Friday.

Yesterday, flanked by 14 armed police officers, Pavlos Joseph looked bewildered and anxious throughout a 12-minute hearing, smiling only briefly at members of his family, before being bailed for £45 to return to court today for trial today.

He had arrived in handcuffs at the special sitting of Cape Town's magistrates court and under heavy police guard after being tracked down to his hotel by police yesterday.

Cuffed: England fan Pavlos Joseph is escorted to Cape Town Magistrates Court with 14 armed officers

The mortgage adviser, who was wearing a grey top and jeans, was charged under two counts of legislation specially drawn up for the World Cup, relating to trespass. 

His passport has been confiscated and he is expected to face a hefty fine if convicted. He was banned from attending any further matches until his case is concluded, as are his relatives.

The Manchester United fan, 32, who lives in Norwood, South London, claims he had become lost in Cape Town's Green Point stadium after Friday's 0-0 draw with Algeria. 

In custody: Joseph (under blanket) is escorted by South African police after being detained for trespass

'It's not like he stole the Crown Jewels is it?' said Joseph's uncle Leo Andrews, 47, who, along with his own sons, had joined his nephew on the trip.

'They promised me they weren't going to cuff him. He really didn't want to be cuffed and he was close to tears at the thought of it this morning at the police station.'

Joseph claimed yesterday that he stumbled upon the England players 45 minutes after the match, saying: 'The crazy thing is I only went looking for the toilet.

England supporter Pavlos Joseph burst into the dressing room and asked ex-England captain David Beckham where the toilet was 

'The next thing I knew, there was David Beckham standing in front of me. I froze and looked round. I saw Joe Cole walk naked out of the shower a few feet away from me. He glanced at me and then did a massive double take.

'Then David looked at me. His face seemed to drop. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The room was dead silent. The players were sitting on benches with towels round their waists just looking at me. It was surreal.'

Beckham, who is with England as a coach, asked who he was and the interloper replied: 'I'm Pavlos... and I actually need the toilet.'


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