A Liverpool fan on trial accused of racially abusing footballer Antoine Semenyo was rushed to hospital after suffering a seizure during the dinner break. Mark Mogan, 47, is accused of shouting a racial slur at the then-Bournemouth player as he went to take a throw-in about 30 minutes into the opening match of the Premier League season on August 15 last year.
Alleged racial abuse at Anfield
Liverpool Magistrates' Court was told on Wednesday that Semenyo saw wheelchair user Mogan and heard him shout: "Hurry up and take the throw-in, you black b******". Simon Jones, prosecuting, said: "That racial abuse was shouted directly at Antoine Semenyo, who was close to him. Mr Semenyo briefly froze as he couldn't believe what the male had said." Mogan then shouted "I'm talking to you, you c***," the court heard.
Semenyo, who now plays for Manchester City, had been due to give evidence over a video link on Wednesday afternoon, having had a work commitment which prevented him from appearing in the morning. But Mogan, who the court heard has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, suffered a seizure in the dinner break of proceedings and was transported by ambulance to hospital.
Trial halted after medical emergency
An application to proceed with the trial in his absence was refused by District Judge Mary Dowrick. The trial is expected to continue at a later date. Mr Jones earlier told proceedings: "[Mogan] looked straight at Antoine Semenyo when directing this abuse to him. Antoine Semenyo didn't say anything back to him and went to take the throw-in, however he was clearly hurt and upset with the racial abuse that had come his way."
The footballer reported the incident to match referee Anthony Taylor when the ball next went out of play and Mogan was removed from the stadium at half time, the court was told. Two short video clips of the incident were shown to the court, in which Mr Jones said the defendant could be seen in an "agitated and angry state". He said witnesses saw Mogan take chewing gum from his mouth and throw it at Semenyo, striking him on the right side of his shorts. Mr Jones said: "We say that was plainly an unsavoury action from an angry man."
Witness accounts and police interview
In a statement read to the court, fellow Liverpool fan Neil Sherratt said he saw Mogan, who sits next to him at matches, leave his bay in the disabled section of the Main Stand and approach the pitch as Semenyo came to take the throw in. He said he heard Mogan shout something along the lines of "hurry up" and saw Semenyo turn towards him. He said: "Semenyo had a shocked look on his face and I believe he has replied back by saying 'you what'."
Another fan, Nicholas Collins, said after the incident Mogan became "very cocky and brazen" and said: "If the bizzies (police) come I'm going to deck them. I'm not going anywhere." Mogan, who had an intermediary with him in court, was interviewed by police the following day and told officers he had shouted at Semenyo to "hurry up". Mr Jones said: "His account was that Antoine Semenyo called him a cripple which upset him. He said he then threw some chewing gum onto the floor but not at Antoine Semenyo. The prosecution say Mr Mogan clearly lied in that police interview." Mogan, of Templehill Close, Dovecot, denies racially aggravated behaviour.
