Liverpool FC fan banned from matches after racial slurs towards Everton player
A Liverpool FC fan has been handed a three-year football ban for shouting a racial slur during the Merseyside Derby last month.
Robert Owen, 54, of Fernbank Drive, Netherton received the ban after directing a racial slur at an Everton player during the game at Goodison Park on Wednesday December 1.
A Merseyside Police officer heard the insult and arrested Owen on suspicion of a Section 5 aggravated public order offence.
READ MORE:Police called as couple’s spa hotel stay erupts in anger at staff
He was taken into custody for questioning and then charged after investigation.
Owen appeared at South Sefton Magistrates’ Court in Bootle on Friday January 21 and was handed a three-year football banning order, preventing him from attending football matches during that time.
He was also ordered to pay a £300 fine and court costs.
Detective Inspector Steven O’Neill said: ‘Merseyside is an inclusive and welcoming place and no matter which football team you support, we are united in saying there is absolutely no place for hate in Merseyside.
The Sefton Live newsletter will bring you news from across the borough in a way you’ve never had before.
Whether it’s celebrating people, sharing issues or discussing the latest news, our newsletter covers everything from Bootle to Southport, and everywhere in between.
It’s free to sign up and it only takes a minute for you to get the biggest stories, delivered straight to your inbox.
How to sign up for a Sefton Live email update
1) Go to our page dedicated to the newsletter on this link.
2) Put your email in the indicated box
3) Check Sefton Live.
4) Press Save Changes and that’s it!
5) There are many other newsletters to choose from.
“This result means that Owen will now have a criminal record, and the implications of this for his future could be significant.
“Let me be clear – for the small minority of fans who believe racial slurs are acceptable, we will work with clubs to find those responsible and bring them to justice.
“I would like to encourage any football fans with information of such incidents to speak with officers or stewards on the pitch or call 101 so that offenders can be traced and face the consequences of their actions.”
Anyone with information on hate crimes is asked to contact the Merseyside Police Social Media Office via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’. You can also call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.
If for any reason you do not wish to report a hate crime to the police, the independent charity Stop Hate UK offers a confidential 24/7 helpline for all victims of hate crime on 0800 138 1625 or www.stophateuk.org. You can also download the Stop Hate UK reporting app from Google Play or the Apple App Store.
You can report an incident of discrimination in football – whether it took place online or at a grassroots, non-league or professional football match – by downloading the Kick It Out app. You can also report any incident through their online form here: https://www.kickitout.org/forms/online-reporting-form.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and updates from ECHO Liverpool by signing up here