Football fan banned for online abuse towards Jewish journalist
He targeted a fellow Chelsea supporter with hate comments online
A Bognor man has been handed a three-year order banning him from football matches after repeatedly abusing a Jewish journalist online.
35-year-old Kerry Hardwell, of Westminster Drive, sent anti-Semitic messages to Dan Levene, a fellow Chelsea FC supporter and campaigner against racism in football.
Sussex Police were called to investigate comments posted on Twitter against Mr Levene, and other journalists and public figures, last August.
Hardwell was charged with sending an offensive, indecent, menacing, obscene message or matter via a public communication network, contrary to the Communications Act.
He admitted the charge, and appeared before Worthing Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on July 25th.
The court noted that the offence was racially aggravated, and a football banning order has been imposed.
In a victim impact statement shared with the court, Mr Levene said:
“The 'Y-word' is three letters that are often thrown away by people who may claim they don't fully appreciate their collective meaning; with some football fans among that number.
“But everyone, most notably the defendant here, should be aware that it is a racially offensive word – and its use in a pejorative sense, as in this case, is a hate crime.
“This word, and variants of it, have been used throughout history by extremists to demonise and persecute a minority. My minority. This history is relevant, because it explains the pernicious nature of the word's usage today.”
Mr Levene said the impact of messages such as those from Hardwell had contributed to him deciding to stop reporting on Chelsea, a club his family had supported for three generations.
Hardwell was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work, with £85 costs and a £114 surcharge.
The court also imposed a three-year Football Banning Order which restricts his access to attending professional football matches in England.
Speaking after the case, Sussex Police’s Dedicated Football Officer PC Darren Balkham said: “The vitriol in the messages were sent in the belief that because the person was behind a keyboard, they wouldn’t be identified.
“The defendant was wrong, and Harding will now have learned this lesson.
“There is no place for antisemitic and racist abuse, either in football or in society.,