In a recent incident of racial abuse, a football fan has been handed a four-year ban from attending any football matches after directing highly offensive comments towards a police officer during a Birmingham and Millwall fixture in April last year.
Ian Hardley, a 60-year-old resident of Kent, faced charges of a public order offense for causing harassment, alarm, or distress. The offender pleaded guilty during the court proceedings held at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Monday, June 5th. As a result, he was not only issued a football banning order for a period of four years but was also instructed to make a total payment of £519, encompassing a fine, court costs, and compensation.
The event caused strong reactions on Twitter. Some users on Twitter suggested that the man should be banned from Millwall for a lifetime, as a four-year ban is considered insufficient.
