A football fan has been banned from all matches in the UK for three years after hurling homophobic slurs during a Premier League game. James Grainger-Brown launched a tirade of abuse at Brighton & Hove Albion's players and fans during their home clash with Nottingham Forest.
The 30-year-old even changed positions at the Amex Stadium in Brighton, East Sussex, at half-time in a bid to avoid detection, but was hauled into court for the 'abusive' homophobic comments. His 'unacceptable' remarks were reported to stewards by both his fellow away fans as well as home fans during that match last year.
The bricklayer, from Haywards Heath, West Sussex, admitted using offensive words or behaviour likely to cause "harassment, alarm or distress" at the game and was fined £225 for the offence. He was also banned from all professional, international and semi-pro football matches across the UK for three years. He will also have to hand his passport to police when England play abroad.
Brighton Magistrates' Court heard last Thursday (April 20) that Grainger-Brown went to the Premier League match between Brighton and Nottingham Forest on October 18 last year and sat in the away end. During the match, which ended 0-0, he was heard shouting homophobic abuse towards fans and players.
Brighton has long been known as the unofficial gay capital of England - with one in ten people over the age of 16 in the city identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or 'other sexual orientation' in the 2021 census. Fellow fans in the away section reported Grainger-Brown's behaviour to stewards at the 31,800-seater ground.
Stewards also heard his comments throughout the match and home fans equally reported him at the end of the game. After being seen by stewards throughout the first half of the match, Grainger-Brown opted to change his position in the stand for the second half - but continued to shout homophobic abuse.
He was later detained by stewards and charged under the Public Order Act. After pleading guilty to using offensive language at the match, Grainger-Brown was ordered to pay court fines and costs totalling £225.
He was additionally issued with a Football Banning Order (FBO) lasting for three years - the minimum banning period - which bans him from attending any football matches in the UK. A rise in football hooliganism in the UK since the pandemic saw a total of 343 FBOs issued between July and December 2022 - an increase of 230 per cent on the same period in the 2021-22 campaign.
Dedicated Football Policing Officer PC Darren Balkham, from Sussex Police, said a minority of football fans still wrongly consider the kind of abuse exhibited by Grainger-Brown as 'banter'. He said: "Grainger-Brown used abusive language which caused distress to other people in the stadium - including his fellow supporters who reported him to stewards.
"Homophobia has been a continuing theme I have encountered during my 24 years of service at football events. Sadly, a minority of football supporters perceive this kind of abuse as simply a type of ‘banter’.
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"It means football supporters often do not feel empowered to report these incidents. But attitudes are changing and unacceptable behaviour is being challenged.
"Brighton and Hove Albion and the FA both have policies in place to tackle homophobic chanting and respond to incidents. We are pleased this incident was reported to us. This case demonstrates that homophobic chanting has no place in our stadiums or in the game of football itself."
Brighton and Hove Albion FC said after the sentencing that the club will clamp down on abuse at its stadium. A spokesman added: "We have a zero-tolerance approach on all forms of anti-social behaviour, and this includes any form of abuse. We worked closely with Sussex Police to identify and prosecute the individual concerned and we welcome the guilty verdict from the courts."
