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Raheem Sterling: Man City fans banned for racist abuse | |
(about 11 hours later) | |
Two Manchester City supporters have been banned from football matches for five years for racially abusing Raheem Sterling. | |
Ian Baldry, 58, pleaded guilty to using racist language after Sterling scored in a Premier League match against Bournemouth in December 2018. | Ian Baldry, 58, pleaded guilty to using racist language after Sterling scored in a Premier League match against Bournemouth in December 2018. |
Baldry, of Bradford, told Manchester Magistrates' Court he had been excited and since regretted using the language. | |
His friend James McConnell, 57, also admitted making racist remarks. | |
McConnell, 57, of Levenshulme in Manchester, admitted racially abusing stewards as well as the Bournemouth player Tyrone Mings during the same match. | |
The men were reported to police by a fan who was at the game. | The men were reported to police by a fan who was at the game. |
McConnell was described as being abusive and drunk throughout the first half and regularly insulted the players using foul language, Greater Manchester Police said. | |
In a witness statement one supporter told police "it was disgusting in this day and age that this was going on". | |
He added: "I was shocked and offended and felt sick to my stomach when I heard it." | He added: "I was shocked and offended and felt sick to my stomach when I heard it." |
'Zero tolerance approach' | |
England attacker Sterling did not hear the comment at the time, although it was heard by a number of supporters, the court was told. | |
Passing sentence, Judge John Temperely told Baldry there was an increasing "prevalence of this kind of offence". | |
"The kind of language used by you and (your) co-accused risks wider public disorder in matches and could encourage others to behave in the same way," he said. | |
Both men pleaded guilty to causing racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress. | |
Baldry was also ordered to perform 200 hours of community service, while McConnell was told to complete 250 hours of unpaid work in the community. | |
In a statement, Manchester City said the pair had been handed lifetime bans by the club "in line with Manchester City's zero tolerance approach to discrimination". | |
"The club would like to thank Manchester City supporters for reporting both incidents and their co-operation throughout the investigations," it added. |
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