A man has been banned from football matches for what he did outside Anfield. Stuart Rutter, of Blue Cedar Drive in West Midlands, was outside the main stand of Anfield Stadium for the Liverpool v Crystal Palace game on April 14 – the eve of the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster.
The 41-year-old began chanting, mocking the Hillsborough tragedy, which police said caused “alarm and distress” to fans. Officers arrested and charged the Crystal Palace fan with a Section 5 Public Order offence.
He was found guilty after trial at South Sefton Magistrates Court on Monday, September 2, and was issued with the three-year football banning order, £500 compensation penalty and other fines. A football banning order is made by a Magistrates’ Court and prohibits the person named in the order from attending a regulated football match, which is any match in a recognised professional and possibly semi-professional league.
Chief Inspector Iain Wyke said: “This type of behaviour has no place in football. We will take action and identify those who commit hate crime in any form, and this includes unacceptable chanting which causes distress to others.
“Merseyside Police will work to identify and bring to justice anyone found responsible for committing a hate crime. I hope this sends a clear message and acts as a deterrent to others that we will be put you before the courts to be prosecuted.”
