A man who was arrested for engaging in homophobic chants during the Wolves vs Chelsea match in April has been handed a three-year ban from attending football matches. His name is Liam Duce, and he appeared before the Dudley Magistrates Court on June 15th.
Duce admitted to using threatening or abusive words and behavior, which led to his arrest during the match on April 8th of this year. He is 24 years old and lives on High Park Crescent in Sedgley. Along with the banning order, he was fined £461.
PC Stuart Ward, a hate crime officer specializing in football-related incidents from West Midlands Police, expressed the firm stance against discrimination in football and society as a whole. He assured that any reports of such incidents would be thoroughly investigated. PC Ward firmly emphasized that homophobia has no place in football or society in general.
PC Ward has been serving as the UK’s first dedicated hate crime officer based within a football unit for the past two years. His role involves combating abusive behavior both at football matches and online, specifically targeting abuse aimed at footballers and fans.
By monitoring online interactions and collaborating with local football clubs, both professional and amateur, PC Ward aims to raise awareness about what constitutes an offense and the importance of reporting such incidents.
He also takes the initiative to visit schools and educate students about the detrimental effects of discrimination, promoting inclusive behavior. PC Ward works closely with organizations like Kick It Out and collaborates with other members of the football unit to keep a vigilant eye on offenses as stadiums gradually reopen following the Covid-19 pandemic.
