Football ban for Hillsborough tragedy chanter

Stuart Rutter was issued with a three-year banning order

A football fan has been banned from attending matches for chanting about the Hillsborough tragedy on the eve of the disaster's 35th anniversary.

Crystal Palace supporter Stuart Rutter is unable to attend games for three years following the incident outside Liverpool's Anfield Stadium in April.

The 41-year-old, from Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, was found guilty after a trial hearing on Monday.

He was ordered to pay a £1,000 in penalty charges.

South Sefton Magistrates Court heard Rutter was outside the main stand of Anfield for the Liverpool v Crystal Palace game on 14 April.

The offensive remarks were said to have caused alarm to people attending the match.

Chief Inspector Iain Wyke said Rutter's behaviour had no place in football.

"We will take action and identify those who commit hate crime in any form and this includes unacceptable chanting which causes distress to others," he said.

“I hope this sends a clear message and acts as a deterrent to others that we will be put you before the courts to be prosecuted.”

The disaster saw 97 Liverpool fans crushed during the 1989 FA Cup semi-final at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield.