Soccer-Helsingborg fan jailed over death of rival supporter

By Philip O'Connor June 17 (Reuters) - A supporter of Swedish club Helsingborg has been jailed after being found guilty of causing the death of a rival fan whom he struck in what a court heard was an unprovoked assault. The Helsingborg District Court found the 28-year-old guilty of assault and involuntary manslaughter and on Tuesday sentenced him to eight months in prison. The judges found that the Helsingborg supporter struck a 43-year-old Djurgarden fan in an unprovoked attack, causing him to fall and hit his head, before the clubs' opening game of the season last March. The man later died in hospital from his injuries. District court judge Stefan Reimer said the judges were satisfied there was a "causal relationship" between the attack and the man's death. Lawyers for the 28-year-old, who was also ordered to pay 40,000 Swedish crowns ($6,000) to the victim's family, have said that he was acting in self-defence and would be appealing against the verdict. The death of a fan caused widespread outrage in Sweden. ($1 = 6.6448 Swedish Kronas) (Writing by Philip O'Connor, editing by Neville Dalton)