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Man United fan who mocked Hillsborough disaster punched a fan at another game
Published 12:06 23 Jun 2023 BST
Updated 12:07 23 Jun 2023 BST
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James White, 33, received a four-year ban for wearing the offensive t-shirt
The man who has been banned from football games for four years after wearing an offensive shirt referencing the Hillsborough disaster at the FA Cup final was kicked out of Wembley last year for punching a fan.
James White, 33, pleaded guilty in front of Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Monday to displaying threatening or abusive writing likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
During the court appearance, they heard that when questioned by police, White claimed: "You haven't asked what the t-shirt means. My grandad died at age 97 and he didn't have enough kids."
White was spotted at Wembley wearing the shirt, which featured the number 97 and ‘not enough’ in reference to the victims of the 1989 tragedy at Wembley Stadium on June 3.
Manchester United have also issued an indefinite ban to White, even after his four-year ban from all football comes to an end.
But now, as revealed by the Daily Mail, footage has emerged of the 33-year-old punching a fan during England's 3-3 draw against Germany in September, 2022.
In the video, White can be seen throwing a right hand towards the direction of another fan, wearing a black body warmer, causing his head to snap back.
Police quickly arrived on the scene and escorted White out of the ground.
A statement from the Football Association after the incident on June 3 said: "The FA strongly condemns the actions of the individual who wore a shirt referencing the Hillsborough disaster ahead of the Emirates FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
"We saw a photograph of the offensive shirt on social media and immediately started working to identify the perpetrator.
"Our security team were able to quickly locate the individual based on the image, and we welcome the swift action which was then taken by the police.
"We will not tolerate abuse relating to Hillsborough or any football tragedy at Wembley Stadium and we will continue to work with the authorities to ensure strong action is taken against perpetrators."
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