A Tottenham Hotspur fan made gestures mocking the Hillsborough disaster at Anfield.
Kieron Darlow of Node Way Gardens in Welwyn, made the gestures at the Liverpool v Spurs game at Anfield on April 30, 2023. Darlow, 25, was in the Lower Anfield Road stand, near to the divide between the home and away fans, and raised both of his hands with his palms facing out, mimicking being pushed and squashed in the way that victims of the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989 were.
The Crown Prosecution Service said throughout this, Darlow was laughing and those who challenged him said he caused real alarm and distress. His actions were reported to the police at the game and the 25-year-old was identified and arrested. Officers said he seemed to be drunk.
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He was charged with intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress. At Bootle Magistrates' Court on May 17, 2023 he pleaded guilty and will now be sentenced on June 13 at Bootle.
Associate Prosecutor Andrew Page of CPS Mersey Cheshire said: “Darlow admitted making a pushing gesture with his palms towards the Liverpool fans and that this was a reference to the Hillsborough disaster. He admitted that this was to suggest that fans without tickets had pushed forward in the tragedy and had been partly to blame for the crush that led to so many deaths.
"He accepted at court that it was his intention that Liverpool fans should see this and that it would cause them harassment, alarm and distress. He admitted that his behaviour was unacceptable and regrets his actions. He apologised to the fans who saw it and to Tottenham Hotspur football club and the court.
"Darlow knew what he was doing and it was done knowing what an impact the Hillsborough tragedy had on Liverpool fans and the city of Liverpool but he did it anyway. This sort of behaviour is not only unacceptable, it is criminal.
"We hope this prosecution sends a message out to all football fans that their behaviour at football games is important and that, if it crosses into criminality, they will be met with the full force of the law.”
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