A Serbian football fan was given a 16-month prison term on Wednesday for threatening a reporter investigating a surge in attacks by hooligans.

A court in Belgrade found Milos Radisavljevic, leader of the Partizan Belgrade supporters, guilty for "endangering the safety of journalist Brankica Stankovic by chanting threats and insults" at a match in December 2009, B92 said.

An award-winning reporter working for B92, Stankovic has received a string of threats after publishing the names and photographs of several suspects in a series of hooligan attacks, including the murder of Frenchman Brice Taton in September 2009.

Following the threats Stankovic has been under permanent police protection.