A Newcastle United fan and season ticket holder has been handed a five-year ban after being convicted for racial abuse towards Liverpool players during their Premier League match on May 4.
According to Newcastle United’s official site, a man named Michael Collins was arrested by police after being seen throwing racial abuse towards Newcastle’s opposition at St James’ Park.
Collins was swiftly escorted out of the stadium by police before being found guilty of racially aggravated harassment inside North Tyneside’s Magistrates Court.
The formal ban of five years means Collins will be unable to attend both home and away matches during the term.
The ban also prevents Collins to enter St James’ Park “for an indefinite period” while also receiving a £550 fine.
Chris Grice, chief inspector and match commander for Northumbria Police on that day, has spoken on the situation:
We have a fantastic relationship with our region’s football clubs and have been working with them for some time to root out this type of behaviour and stamp out all forms of abuse.
Newcastle United fans are some of the most passionate football fans in the world and the vast majority of them are well behaved and a credit to the region.
We hope this particular conviction, and subsequent banning order, gives those fans the confidence to call out abusive behaviour in the terraces and report it to stewards and the police.
Northumbria Police will continue to work with the club to make our St. James’ Park a safe environment for all but we need your help to hold people like Michael Collins to account.
It is great to see such acts that have no place in football, or anywhere in society, being dealt with so quickly and efficiently.
This incident should send a real message to other fans and will hopefully make other individuals think twice about what they say to opposition players.
