A Sussex football fan injured during a riot is to seek £500,000 in costs and damages from the Metropolitan Police.

The Court of Appeal today agreed John Wilson was the victim of a "deliberate and unlawful assault" by an officer.

Mr Wilson, 21, says he has not been able to concentrate on his studies or work since the incident in 1996, which left him with epilepsy.

Last year he won a High Court ruling against the police, who claimed his injuries were caused by an "accidental collision" with an unknown riot officer.

The police took the case to the appeal court, where today three judges upheld Mr Justice Morland's findings about the incident in London after England lost to Germany and went out of the Euro 96 tournament.

Lord Justice Kay said the officer might have mistaken Mr Wilson, who was 16 at the time, for one of a group of youths vandalising an abandoned police car near Trafalgar Square.

He added: "That did not justify him pushing his shield into him when he was standing doing nothing wrong."

Mr Wilson, of Leamington Way, Horsham, said after the hearing: "I am disgusted that the police have taken this case so far and it has taken so long. All I wanted was the chance to get on with my life."

There will be a further hearing at the High Court in July to determine damages unless the parties reach a settlement.