A Liverpool fan has been banned from football matches for three years after a row over a banner at Steven Gerrard’s final home game.
Jonathan Luke Poulter, 20, shouted abuse at David Higham, 61, who was with his disabled wife, when he pleaded for him to move a giant banner.
Poulter, of Chapel Road, Anfield , denied using abusive or threatening behaviour, insulting words to cause harassment, alarm or distress at Anfield on April 16, as Liverpool faced Crystal Palace, but was convicted at Sefton Magistrates’ Court today.
The lifelong fan, who said moving to Liverpool from his original home in County Durham last year was a “dream come true”, was also subjected to an eight week curfew between 9.30pm and 6am. The court was told the incident happened as Gerrard walked out onto the pitch under a guard of honour as players and fans paid tribute to his 17 year service to the Reds.
Mr Higham, who has been attending Liverpool FC games since he was eight years old, said: “There was quite a lot of coverage in the press and we knew the would be a guard of honour as he came onto the pitch, making it quite a send off for him.
“The anticipation of that was quite high, we had seen a lot about it on the TV and it was a big game for people.”
The court heard the offending banner was raised directly in front of the disabled supporters in the Kop – fans often raise banners at that spot but normally take them down as soon as the players come on to the pitch but on this occasion it did not, even though people were asking.
His wife Laura is a wheelchair user and was watching the game from the stadium’s disabled bay told the court she could hear “swearing” and saw that Poulter was angry.
Mr Higham said he felt “threatened and intimidated” by six foot four Poulter, who had been cautioned in 2013 for attempting to take smoke pellets into a game at Wigan’s DW Stadium.
He claimed that Poulter said: “We have been trying to get you wheelchair users moved for some time, and we will keep trying.”
Mary Baker, a witness who had been watching the game with her disabled husband, told the court she saw part of the argument and told Poulter to “cut out” the swearing.
However she says Poulter told her to “f***** p*** off”.
Sefton Magistrates’ Court in Bootle
Poulter admitted telling Mr Higham: “This is the Kop, this is our tradition, this is what we do, if you don’t like it there’s the door you can f*** off.”
But he claimed to be “intimidated” by Mr Higham, who he said had entered his “personal space.”
Poulter told the court he always helped other fans wave banners and it was a way of showing appreciation for his “hero” Gerrard.
Under questioning from defence solicitor Kimberley Obrusik, Poulter said he had cared for his granddad for around seven months after a stroke left him wheelchair bound, and was friends with other disabled fans.
He added: “He (Mr Higham) came over quite angry and started shouting in my face. I didn’t know at first what he was angry about but he was saying these banners are f***** pathetic.”
The court heard he apologised to Mr Higham and his wife at the first home game of this season on August 17, and shook his hand.
But District Judge Richard Clancy said: “ You are six foot four, it is quite easy to see from here you are extremely large. You were in a situation where you were talking to a man who has been watching the game for more than 45 years with his wife.
“You, who is 20 years old, say you know about Liverpool FC and if he doesn’t like your views he can f*** off. There’s not a reasonable court in this country that would find you innocent of this disgraceful offence.”
Poulter was ordered to pay a £520 criminal court charge, £500 prosecution costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/