An Arsenal Football Club supporter who shouted “Hitler should have finished the job” was sentenced today at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court.
Daniel Down, 39, pleaded guilty and was sentenced for using threatening, abusive, distressing words at a football match on 15th January 2023 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The charges, which were racially or religiously aggravated, were brought against him by the Crown Prosecution Service after he shouted “Hitler should have finished the job” at a match between Arsenal Football Club and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
The prosecution noted that the victim, who reported the incident to the police, had immediately told Mr Down that he took “great offence” at what Mr Down said and explained that members of his family had died in the Holocaust.
The prosecution also noted that Mr Down had apologised to the victim immediately and had attended a police interview without legal counsel.
Upon sentencing, the Judge said: “Mr Down, what you did was egregious in the extreme…You are a young man of 29, you ought to have known better.”
In light of his plea and apology to the victim, the Judge gave Mr Downs a court order that bans him from attending football matches in the UK for three years. He was also ordered to pay a total of £471 in fines, which includes a victim surcharge of £110.
