Football fan given banning order for homophobic abuse after incident at Birmingham City match

Steven Quig admitted at Birmingham Magistrates Court to shouting homophobic abuse at the Birmingham City vs Burton Albion game on Boxing Day last year.

The 45-year-old pleaded guilty on Thursday, April 24 and was handed a three-year banning order from football.

Quig, a Burton Albion fan, was previously offered an education course, provided by Kick It Out, which he completed and signed an acceptable behaviour contract with Burton Albion in September last year. This was in connection with another hate crime offence. 

However, the 45-year-old was arrested on December 26 after an officer and a steward witnessed him shouting homophobic abuse inside the ground.

He was then charged with a public order offence of using threatening or abusive words likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

PC Stuart Ward, who was appointed the UK's first dedicated hate crime officer within a football unit, said: "There is no place for discrimination within football, and society in general, and Quig has quite rightly been banned from football.

"His behaviour was offensive, and unacceptable. We need victims to report what has happened and with the support of the wider public we can bring those responsible to justice.

"Quig should feel embarrassed by what he did, and hopefully this will make him and others realise that such appalling behaviour will not be tolerated."

Anyone who has been a victim of a football-related hate crime, or has information about an offence, can contact West Midlands Police via the Live Chat service on their website or by calling 101.