Blues fan yelled racist abuse at ‘favourite’ player
A CITY fan who said Raheem Sterling was his ‘favourite player’ yelled racist abuse at him after he scored a goal, a court heard.
Ian Baldry, 58, was watching City play Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on December 1, 2018.
During the second half of the game, Mr Sterling scored to make it 2-1 to City. As the Blues star ran over to his fans, Baldry made a racist comment towards him, Manchester magistrates court heard. The foul words he said were not repeated in court.
His comments were overheard by other fans in the Colin Bell stand, who told the match stewards before the matter was brought to the attention of police.
Prosecutor Robin Lynch said: “Mr Baldry joins a group of supporters in the second half of the game.
“They were sitting in the Colin Bell stand which often has children in and is ethnically diverse.
“In the 57th minute, Raheem Sterling scores and as he runs over Mr Baldry makes a racist comment towards him.
“He did not hear this comment, but others around Mr Baldry did.
“Mr Baldry then walks away from the group he was with.”
Defending, Tahir Ayub said his client ‘realised the error of his words almost immediately after they were
said.’ “During his interview with the police he apologised and he clearly regrets what he has said,” he added. “This isn’t a case where a player from the opposite team has been targeted, this comment is in fact made when Raheem Sterling scores a goal to take City to 2-1.
“He is one of Mr Baldry’s favourite players, he says he would give him a hug and kiss him for scoring that goal.
“He said it as a passionate comment during a celebration but he regretted it almost immediately after he said it.”
Baldry, of Bradley Street, Bradford, admitted one charge of using racially or religiously-aggravated words or writing aggravated to cause harassment, alarm or distress. He will be sentenced at a later date.
In March this year, Mr Sterling said he ‘silenced the haters’ in England’s 5-1 win in Montenegro, when he celebrated by cupping his ears to away fans.
A Chelsea fan, who appeared to racially abuse Mr Sterling in December last year, was banned from Stamford Bridge for life.
Five more supporters who were seen joining in the verbal assault on the City star received bans of between one and two years.