When fan 'banter' goes too far...

[Steve Watts]

His brother Drew (the other ***** in the photo) was gloating about it as well.  I've a feeling he may be changing his phone number.....

[KendrickDNB]

That is not banter.

[Kid in the Riot]

9 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Really?  I’m not condoning what these individuals did, but I suspect that ‘banter’ involving extreme bad taste goes on throughout society.  And that’s the problem for me: this is an example of extreme bad taste which most people are likely to find very offensive, but is that a criminal offence?  Many comedians have built their acts on extreme bad taste, but at what point does something in poor taste become criminal?

Very different doing something at a comedy gig, or in a private conversation, to doing it in front of thousands of rival supporters at a football match. 

He was charged under section 4A of the POA, that is that he caused intentional harassment, alarm, or distress. That's not exactly difficult for the police to prove on this occasion given the number of complaints they received.

[weepywall]

I see that one of the brothers has lost his job, been banned from the pubs he drinks in, been banned from playing for his football team and I would imagine he will be looking over his shoulder for some time to come 

[bcfc01]

14 minutes ago, weepywall said:

I see that one of the brothers has lost his job, been banned from the pubs he drinks in, been banned from playing for his football team and I would imagine he will be looking over his shoulder for some time to come 

Oh dear, what a shame, never mind.

 

[phantom]

12 hours ago, weepywall said:

I see that one of the brothers has lost his job, been banned from the pubs he drinks in, been banned from playing for his football team and I would imagine he will be looking over his shoulder for some time to come 

If it was the one that one of them had on his Facebook profile, they came out very quickly saying that he hadn't been employed with them for a long time

[phantom]

A man has been given a suspended sentence and a five-year football ban after mocking the death of child mascot Bradley Lowery at a football match.

Dale Houghton, from Rotherham, pleaded guilty to a public order offence at Sheffield Magistrates' Court in October and received a 12-week sentence suspended for 18 months.

He is also required to carry out 200 hours of unpaid voluntary work in the community.

Bradley was diagnosed with rare cancer neuroblastoma when he was just 18 months old and died aged six in 2017.

Houghton was seen holding up a picture of Bradley and laughing in the stands at Sheffield Wednesday's match against Sunderland at Hillsborough Stadium on Friday 29 September.

An image of the incident was met with outrage on social media and sparked an apology from Sheffield Wednesday.

In his sentencing remarks, the judge called the actions of Houghton, 32, "appalling and disgraceful" and said that he "inflicted trauma on an already bereaved family".

District Judge Marcus Waite said to Houghton: "You showed callous disrespect to a brave young man who was rightly held in the highest esteem by football fans everywhere."

Bradley was a mascot for both Sunderland and England, and formed a close bond with his beloved team's striker Jermain Defoe, who called Bradley his "best mate".

At the time, Defoe said he was "appalled and saddened" by Houghton's actions.

He added: "My thoughts at this time go out to Gemma and Carl, Bradley's parents, who shouldn't have to deal with incidents like this, but rather be praised for the amazing work they are doing with the Bradley Lowery Foundation in their son's memory."

Bradley's mother previously told the court that she saw the picture on Facebook.

Mrs Lowery said it "wasn't just disrespectful to Bradley, but also to other people as well", and it risked causing "so much emotional trauma to other children with cancer".

"I feel upset that these men have used this image of Bradley in order to get a reaction from the Sunderland fans," her statement, which was read out in court last month, said - adding that it was "unforgivable".

The Bradley Lowery Foundation - a charity set up by Bradley's mother - released a statement at the time, saying: "Whatever happened to 'cancer has no colours' let alone respect for a family that lost their baby to cancer."

Following the incident, more than £11,000 was raised for the foundation amid an outpouring of support.

TAKEN FROM: Bradley Lowery: Dale Houghton given suspended sentence and football ban for mocking death of child mascot at match | UK News | Sky News

[REDOXO]

On 03/10/2023 at 03:15, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Really?  I’m not condoning what these individuals did, but I suspect that ‘banter’ involving extreme bad taste goes on throughout society.  And that’s the problem for me: this is an example of extreme bad taste which most people are likely to find very offensive, but is that a criminal offence?  Many comedians have built their acts on extreme bad taste, but at what point does something in poor taste become criminal?

Apparently Outraging Public Decency is a criminal offense. I would suggest Particularly if a couple of knob wits could cause a big incident. If you go to comedy you know what could be said going in and I don’t think comedians make jokes about this kid in the NE. 
 

Luckily the UK draws lines regarding free speech. And too right. Where I live it’s a rock for every tosser who wants to start a fight to hide behind. 
 

 

 

[PHILINFRANCE]

11 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

Apparently Outraging Public Decency is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

But apparently not if you clamber over a war memorial waving a Palestinian flag.