An Albion fan is facing jail after admitting calling a black Spurs player a monkey boy at an Albion vs Spurs game at the Amex.
George Reynolds, 24, of Shipley Road, Brighton, was challenged by other fans in the North Stand when he made the racist remarks towards black Spurs players at the game on Saturday, 5 October.
He was also heard saying Korean Spurs player Son Heung-min would “eat your dog”.
He then hurled abuse at the fans, making threats before being removed by club stewards and handed to police officers.
This afternoon at Lewes Crown Court he was due to be sentenced, but after hearing he was not represented Judge Mark Andrew van der Zwart adjourned the case.
Reynolds had been turned down for legal aid but since then he has lost his job and is making a new application.
However Judge van der Zwart warned him he could be jailed for up to two years, adding: “Please do not take this adjournment as any indication of what the sentence will or will not be.
“You have heard how seriously the courts take these cases.”
He pleaded guilty at Brighton Magistrates Court on 5 December to racially aggravated harassment.
Today, he was remanded on bail but ordered not to attend any Brighton and Hove Albion game either home or away or to go to the Amex Stadium.
He is now due to return to court on Friday, 31 January.
The court heard that this was not his first offence of this kind. In 2015 he was convicted of damaging a car door and calling an Asian taxi driver a “Paki c***” in East Street, Brighton.
The incident at the Amex was first announced by Brighton and Hove Albion, who have launched a hotline for fans to report abusive behaviour.
Reynolds was given an interim ban ahead of his sentencing.
They also said racist language had allegedly been made by two other Albion fans at an under-23 fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Friday, 27 September.
The pair were ejected from the stadium and their details been passed to Sussex Police for further investigation.
However, this has been filed by police “due to insufficient evidence required for a realistic prospect of prosecution”.
Speaking at the time, Superintendent Howard Hodges said: “Along with Brighton and Hove Albion, we have made it absolutely clear that offences of this sort will not be tolerated and action will be taken against anyone who mistakenly believes that the anonymity of a large crowd will protect them.
Chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber said in October: “It’s very hard to comprehend why some individuals think it’s acceptable to behave in this way, but we are very clear that neither Brighton and Hove Albion, nor the wider football community, will tolerate racism or discrimination at any time, in any form.
“It is very encouraging that in both incidents our stewards were alerted to this totally unacceptable behaviour by other Albion fans and, working with Sussex Police, our staff were able to take swift action, which hopefully will increase the chances of a conviction.
“We do not want people exhibiting any kind of discriminatory or anti-social behaviour inside our stadium, and I would like to thank those Albion fans for reporting the incidents to us as soon as they heard it.
“We would urge any fans confronted with similar discriminatory behaviour to report it immediately, either directly to a steward or via our anonymous hotline, and we will take strong action.”
Any anti-social behaviour during matches can be drawn to the attention of either stewards or police or by anonymously texting the Amex control room with details of the location affected, descriptions and the nature of the issue to 07880 196442.
what were the actual words used
whatever happened to the saying we were taught at school from a very early age – ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me’ – or is that too un pc these days – c’mon, give the thick, inebriated slob a break – prison ffs!!!!!