Kent bisexual footballer's homophobic abuser sentenced

Jahmal Howlett-Mundle was abused by a Tower Hamlets player during a football match

A semi-professional footballer who subjected another player, who is bisexual, to homophobic abuse during a match has been fined.

Jahmal Howlett-Mundle was playing for Sheppey United in August 2021 when Ayokunle Odedoyin of Tower Hamlets FC used abusive language towards him.

Odedoyin, 32, had been found guilty at Bexley Magistrates' Court in June and was sentenced on Wednesday.

Mr Howlett-Mundle said: "I don't think justice has been done."

Odedoyin was told he must complete 120 hours of unpaid work, and told to pay £1,120 in compensation and court costs.

Speaking to BBC South East, Mr Howlett-Mundle said: "I don't think it's going to deter people in the future from being homophobic.

"With short sentences like this how are people supposed to understand that there's a lot of pain and suffering that does happen to people like myself and other active LGBTQ+ football players."

'Holding in the tears'

Tower Hamlets FC had been losing the game before Odedoyin committed a late tackle on Mr Howlett-Mundle and verbally abused him, in a match which saw Sheppey United win 4-1, a spokesman for the Crown Prosection Service (CPS) said.

Mr Howlett-Mundle tweeted it was a "real shame" following the game on 7 August.

Tower Hamlets FC then asked for the player's shirt number and promised to investigate.

Speaking to BBC South East after the match, Mr Howlett-Mundle said: "I kept my cool as best as possible but it was really difficult holding in the tears while still trying to complete the game."

Odedoyin was found guilty of one count of using threatening or abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Following his trial in June, Rebecca Helliwell from the CPS said: "Calling out and prosecuting homophobic language is vital to stamping out hate crime. These vile slurs have no place on our football pitches or society."

Mr Howlett-Mundle - also a full-time primary school teacher - took the decision to come out to his teammates in July 2021.

He said he hoped that by being open about his sexuality it would give others the confidence to follow suit.

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