21 July 2023 , 10:56
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A Manchester City fan has been handed a three-year football banning order and fined £265 after repeatedly making a "disgusting" gesture mocking the Hillsborough stadium tragedy.
David Murphy, 42 from Frodsham in Cheshire, was captured on CCTV making a CPR gesture towards Liverpool fans, pushing downwards with two clasped hands, during City's Carabao Cup win over the Reds at the Etihad Stadium last December.
Murphy admitted a public order offence for using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment. He had claimed in court that he was making 'calm down' gestures.
But that was rejected by Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court on Thursday. Prosecutor Suzanne Ludlow told the court that the defendant was spotted by officials 'mimicking CPR gestures' on CCTV after the match.
The prosecutor added that the gestures were directed towards Liverpool fans after the final whistle, with officials concluding that they were designed to mock the Hillsborough disaster, which resulted in deaths of 97 Reds fans in 1989, and were "disgusting".
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The footage was played to the court and showed Murphy repeatedly making the gestures. Murphy did address the court, insisting that the gestures were not designed to mock Hillsborough.
"That's something I wouldn't do," he said, as he also claimed that he was making the gestures to urge rival fans to 'get down, calm down'. He added that he himself had a Liverpool accent and had friends in the city.
The incident happened after Liverpool's defeat to City in the Carabao Cup in December (Getty Images)Murphy also drew attention to the fact that the game had been marred by crowd trouble and was played in an 'awful atmosphere'.
"Unfortunately that's the way football is going at the moment. When I watched the video I was embarrassed with myself. That's not the person I am. I don't go to football to cause trouble," he said.
Murphy told the court he was a 'reasonable person' who doesn't 'go out drinking at weekends' and had a 'professional job'. He put the cause of his actions down to 'over-exuberance', though was still fined £265, ordered to pay a £106 victim surcharge and also ordered to pay £85 towards prosecution costs.
Chairman of the bench Kevin Phillips also handed out a three-year football banning order. Phillips revealed that the bench had 'unanimously' agreed that the gestures Murphy made were indeed mocking the Hillsborough tragedy.
He added: "You have spoken a great deal and your character references support it about how important family is to you." The banning order will prohibit Murphy from attending specified games at home and abroad over the next three years.