Football fan fined for homophobic slurs shouted at Villa game
- Published
Leicester visited Villa Park on 5 December
A football fan has admitted shouting homophobic abuse during a Premier League game at Villa Park.
Steve Carstairs made his "hideous" comments during the club's clash with Leicester City on 5 December, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
The 44-year-old, from Leicester, was overheard by police shouting the abuse from his seat in the Leicester end.
He was was fined £200 after admitting the public order offence at Birmingham Magistrates' Court.
The fine was increased by 25% because the offence was classed as a hate crime and Carstairs was also ordered to pay £135 in costs and a £34 victim surcharge.
Preena Mistry, from the CPS, said: "The defendant's hideous comments would have caused great offence to those who heard him including children standing near him."
Graeme Smith, Chair of Foxes Pride, Leicester City's LGBTQ+ supporter group, said chanting like this should not be tolerated and added: "Everyone should feel safe to report it when they hear it, and be confident they will be taken seriously."
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, external, Twitter, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk, external