Two
Southampton FC supporters who yelled abuse, mimicked the sound of hissing gas
and made Nazi salutes at Tottenham Hotspur fans have been banned from attending
matches for three years.
Thomas
Flynn and Michael Haydon committed the offences at Southampton’s St Mary’s
Stadium during a match on 19th December 2015.
Flynn,
22, of Yeovil Chase, Harefield, Southampton and Haydon, 23, of White Hart Lane,
Cadnam, admitted a charge each of using threatening, abusive and insulting
behaviour in what was deemed a religiously aggravated public order offence.
They
were barred from attending games in Britain and abroad for three years after
being convicted at Southampton Magistrates’ Court, where prosecutor Charles
Nightingale had described how Flynn, Haydon and another man were seen shouting
antisemitic abuse including “gas the Jews”.
Mr
Nightingale said one of the Spurs fans reported: “There was a white male
raising his right hand and finger below his nose and making hissing sounds
imitating gas escaping.”
After
a steward notified police, Haydon was arrested at the ground, while Flynn was
detained nearby. The court heard that the third man was never identified.
Haydon
had been drinking since that morning, said his lawyer Jane Hiatt, and admitted
making hissing sounds but denied saluting and shouting abuse.
In
mitigation she said of the season ticket holder, who had attended games since
he was aged five: “This is very out of character and a blip. He’s horrified and
ashamed.”
Nicola
Attwood, for Flynn, said her client — who was sober — also admitted hissing but
denied making salutes. She said: “He is disgusted with himself and that he
deserves a ban and that the people would be gravely offended by his behaviour.”
Magistrate
Victoria Parker sentenced them to a three-year banning order preventing them
from attending games in Britain and requiring them to hand passports to police
before major games abroad.
They
were also handed a 12-week community order and curfew, banned from going within
a mile of St Mary’s Stadium four hours before and after kick-off on matchdays,
and ordered to pay £145 in costs.
She
said: “This was a very serious matter and watching you during these court
proceedings I think you know that and are very ashamed of what you did.”
