Russian arrested ‘for attacking England fan’ at Euro 2016

A Russian football hooligan wanted for savagely attacking an England fan during Euro 2016 in France has been arrested, German police said. 

French authorities had for months been seeking the suspect, who along with several other Russian hooligans, is accused of attacking England fan Andrew Bache ahead of the Russia-England match in Marseille.

Bache, 51, from Portsmouth, was left paralysed on the left-hand side of his body after being hit around the head with an iron bar on June 11, 2016.

In a statement on Thursday, police said they detained ‘the wanted man’ on his arrival in Erdinger Moos from Moscow.

It added that the 31-year-old, who was not named, risks up to 15 years in jail in France for attempted homicide and grievous bodily harm.

A Russian football hooligan wanted for savagely attacking England fan Andrew Bache (pictured) during Euro 2016 in France has been arrested, German police said

French authorities issued an arrest warrant for the Russian suspect in December 2017 after months of work with British police to identify the perpetrators of the assault.

He was arrested en route from Moscow to Spain’s Bilbao where he was travelling for the European League match between Athletic Bilbao and Spartak Moscow. 

The violence had marred the European football tournament, and raised concerns over Russia’s hosting of this year’s World Cup.

A witness to the attack on Mr Bache said Russians chanted ‘die, die, die’ and spat on him as he was being given life-saving CPR by a French police officer.

‘He wasn’t breathing. There were 30 riot police doing nothing. I got in their faces and said ‘He is dying’. One gave him CPR,’ Craig Lyons told The Sun

Mr Bache (centre) was left paralysed on the left-hand side of his body after being hit around the head with an iron bar in June 2016 

Paramedics saved Mr Bache’s life with CPR after he suffered a heart attack due to the violence

A French officer is seen performing CPR on Mr Bache after he was hit around the head with an iron bar in June 2016

‘But two Russian fans came over, spat at him and said, ‘Die, die, die’ in English.’

The 51-year-old – also known as ‘Pepe’ – was the victim of an unprovoked attack by Russians simply targeting anyone English.

His son Harry, 26, said at the time: ‘He’s 51 and no hooligan. What sort of person does something like that to another human?’

Mr Bache, who was working as a Tesco delivery driver, is well known in his hometown for his love of football.

He had been in Marseille with a group of six friends to watch the tournament when he was attacked.

Football fans attend to the unconscious Mr Bache as he lay on a pavement in downtown Marseille after clashes between England and Russian supporters in June 2016

Chairs and bottles were used as weapons against rival team supporters and police as violence erupted at the Euro 2016 tournament

The chief prosecutor of Marseille, Brice Robin, ha said only two Russian fans were arrested that weekend but they were for invading…