Scores of football hooligans have been slapped with bans of up to 10 years and one was jailed, following an investigation into a pitch invasion.

As the full-time whistle blew at a game between Gillingham FC and Rotherham United in April, fights broke out after a large crowd of fans charged onto the turf at Priestfield Stadium.

More than 20 people appeared in court last Thursday and Friday to receive punishments ranging from unpaid work to jail time and suspended sentences.

Superintendent Ray Quiller of Kent Police said: "There is absolutely no place in football or anywhere else in society for the type of violence and behaviour that occurred following this particular match.

"In the presence of genuine football supporters, including children, the actions of these individuals were totally unacceptable.

"Football Banning Orders were introduced in the late 1980s to help improve safety at matches, and they remain an important power at our disposal despite there being far fewer incidents today than there were back then.

"I am pleased to see them given in the circumstances of this case and we will continue to seek these against offenders who act in this manner at football matches."

Video of the unruly behaviour taken at the time showed stewards trying to combat spectators' aggressive behaviour.

In court, Football Banning Orders, which prohibit someone from going to football matches for a set period of time, were issued by by Deputy District Judge Sundeep Pankhania to those who pleaded guilty to public order offences linked to the pitch invasion.

Emotions were running high throughout the April game, which Gillingham needed to win to stay in the third tier of English football, while away side Rotherham were hoping for a win to go up a league.

The Yorkshire team won 2-0 with the result securing automatic promotion to the Championship while the Gills were relegated.

Flares were also lit and one was thrown onto the pitch.

Some of those Gillingham fans who made their way onto the pitch chanted for club chairman Paul Scally to resign, in the wake of their relegation to League 2.

Following the incident, Gillingham's co-chairman, and chief executive, Paul Fisher, said: "The football club is pleased to see that the police have dealt with the unsavoury incident which occurred following the final whistle against Rotherham United.

"Such behaviour will not be tolerated at a family club such as Gillingham."

At the court on Thursday, prosecutor, Pietro Matarazzo said: "It was the league one season's last day and Gills would go down if they lost and Rotherham would go up if they won and there was a large scale pitch invasion."

Each defendant who was given a Football Banning Order is required to visit a police station within five days to give officers their passport details to officers.

They are banned from attending any regulated football match in the country for the duration of their order and during that period would have to apply to the authorities be allowed to attend a football tournament outside the country.

On match days they must also be further than five miles from their team's stadium for four four hours before a match and two hours after any game.

All of the people who appeared in court on Thursday were charged with threatening behaviour provoke unlawful violence and were Gillingham fans.

They were:

Jack Simmonds, 25, of Quinnell Street Rainham, pleaded guilty.

Simmonds was given a 12-month community order which will see him carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and complete 25 rehabilitation sessions with probation and pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

He was also issued with a three year banning order.

William Tuffin, 20, of Kingswood Road, Gillingham, pleaded guilty.

Tuffin, who was not able to do unpaid work because of an injury was placed on a four-month community order which will see him placed under curfew between the hours of 9pm to 6am for four months.

He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £95 and £85 court costs and was also made subject to a three year Football Banning Order.

Kingsley Dume, 25, of Alma Road, Sheerness, pleaded guilty.

He was jailed for eight weeks and will be supervised by probation for a year after his release and issued with a seven-year Football Banning Order.

Keegan Mount, 23, of Blaxland Close, Faversham, pleaded guilty.

Mount was made the subject of a 12-month community order which will see him carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and was also issued with a three-year Football Banning Order.

Ben Quinan, 23, of Alexandra Road, Sheerness, pleaded guilty.

Quinan was given a 12-month community order which will see him carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and was also issued with a three-year Football Banning Order.

Charlie Allen, 25, of Franklin Road, Gillingham, also pleaded guilty.

He was given a 12-month community order which will see him complete 100 hour of unpaid work and he was ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and was also issued with a three-year Football Banning Order.

Callum Evans, 21, of Rochester Road, Burham, also pleaded guilty.

Evans was given a 12-month community order which will see him complete 120 hours of unpaid work and he was issued with a three-year Football Banning Order. He was also ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Bobby Coulham, 25, of Woodlands, Dargate, Faversham pleaded guilty.

He was given an 18-month community order which will see him 150 hours of community service. He was also give a three-year Football Banning Order and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £95 and £85 costs.

Jody Barnes, 21, of Winter Gem Lane, Faversham, pleaded guilty.

He was given a 12-month community order which will see him carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and was issued with three-year Football Banning Order. Barnes was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £95 and £85 costs.

Kai McNeil, 18, of Concord Avenue, Chatham, pleaded guilty.

He was given a 24-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £95 and £85 costs. He was issued with a three-year Football Banning Order.

James Mackenzie, 23, of Rookery Crescent, Cliffe was due in court on Thursday but never got notified of his court appearance and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was arrested overnight and appeared in court on Friday and pleaded guilty to the offence.

He was given 12-month community order which will see him carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He must also complete five rehabilitation sessions and pay a victim surcharge of £95 and £85 costs. He was issued with a three-year banning order.

Harrison Wilkins, 20, of London Road, Ditton, pleaded guilty and his case was adjourned for a pre-sentencing report to be carried out. He will be sentenced on January 4 and was ordered to stay away from Gillingham Football Club until he is sentenced.

Adam Stanley, 27, of Hythe Close, Tunbridge Wells, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He will stand trial over the matter at Maidstone Magistrates' Court on May 16 next year.

Taylor Jarvis, 18, of The Platters, Rainham, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He will also stand trial over the matter at Maidstone Magistrates' Court on May 16 next year.

A 16-year-old from Medway who can't be named for legal reasons had his case adjourned and sent to the youth court and will appear at Medway Magistrates' Court on January 16.

The following individuals attended court on Friday and had been charged with the same offence and were all Rotherham fans.

Alex Fields, 21, of Braithwell Road, Rotherham pleaded guilty.

He was given a 12-month community order which will see him complete 150 of hours unpaid work.

Fields was also ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and was issued with a three-year Football Banning Order.

Liam Baldwin, 35, of First Lane, Rotherham pleaded guilty.

He was given a 12-month community order and received 230 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and was issued with a three-year Football Banning Order.

Lee Horton, 46, of Linkswood Road, Rotherham pleaded guilty.

He was given a 12-month community order and will complete 150 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and was issued with a four-year Football Banning Order.

Andrew Duke, 53, of Farm View Road, Rotherham pleaded guilty.

He received an eight-week jailed term which was suspended for 12 months, he was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and was given a four-year Football Banning Order.

Lee Smith, 53, of Rockingham Road, Rotherham pleaded guilty.

He was given a 12-month community order and must complete 150 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and was issued with a three-year Football Banning Order.

Jack Cranswick, 23, of Creswick Close, Rotherham pleaded guilty.

He was given a 12-month community order and must complete 150 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and was issued with a three-year Football Banning Order.

Colby Smith, 26, of Fullerton Crescent, Rotherham pleaded guilty.

Smith was placed on a 12-month community order which will see him complete 180 hours of unpaid work and he was also ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and was issued with a three-year Football Banning Order.

Jarrod Allsop, 22, from Berry Edge Close, Doncaster pleaded guilty.

He was placed on a 12-month community order and will complete 130 hours of unpaid work and he was also ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs and was issued with a three-year Football Banning Order.

Callum Davies, 23, of Rowan Rise, Rotherham pleaded guilty.

He was placed on a 12-month community order which will see him complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

Davies was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £95 and £85 court costs and was placed on a three-year Football Banning Order.

Jake Walton, 23, of St Nicolas Road, Rotherham pleaded guilty.

He received a four-month jail term which was suspended for 24 months. He was also ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work complete 15 rehabilitation sessions and pay a victim surcharge of £128 and £85 costs. Walton was given a 10-year Football Banning Order.

Lee Young, 42, of Deveron Way, York pleaded guilty.

He was given a 12-month community order which will see him carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and he must also take part in 10 rehabilitation sessions and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £95 and £85 court costs and was placed on a three-year Football Banning Order.

Emily Moule, 36, of no fixed address pleaded not guilty.

The case against her was adjourned and she will stand trial at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on December 23.

Paul Scott, 36, of Princes Street, Rotherham never attended court as he couldn't afford the train fare and only found out about the case just before he was due in court. He stayed in touch with court staff and the case against him was adjourned and he will appear at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on December 23.

Kyle Gibbs, 26, of Green Lane, Rawmarsh, Rotherham, failed to show up for his court appearance and a warrant was issued for his arrest.