A thug hurled disgraceful anti-Semitic insults at Tottenham fans and made hissing sounds referring to the gas chambers in Nazi concentration camps.
Neil McManniman hurled a "torrent of foul abuse" towards Tottenham Hotspur fans during a match between the North London club and Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, November 7 2021. Liverpool Crown Court was told today that the 46-year-old had seven previous offences including a similar conviction, involving the "n" word, also at Goodison Park, which landed him a three-year banning order.
Three other of the offences also involved being drunk at sporting events and running on to the pitch. McManniman, of Quarry Green, Kirkby, denied being behind the anti-Semitic abuse but a jury took just half an hour to convict him of religiously aggravated harassment.
Judge Brian Cummings, KC, described his behaviour at the Everton ground as "outrageous" and said: "You have not learnt your lesson from your previous court experiences." He added McManniman had denied the offence "and tried to lie your way out of it."
Kate Morley, prosecuting, told the jury how Evertonian Robert Gaul was sitting in the Upper Bullens Road stand close to the away fans and heard McManniman, sitting by him, repeatedly shouting anti-Semitic abuse. Mr Gaul complained to a steward who said she also heard him shouting remarks including "f***** Jews" before he was ejected from the stadium.
Mr Gaul told the jury Tottenham fans have a Jewish heritage and McManniman "would stand up to gesture. He turned as if to face them and threw his hand in the air and shouted 'dirty Jews, dirty Y**s". He said he also heard a word which he did not understand but later looked it up. Mr Gaul said: "It was another derogatory term for a Jewish person."
Judge Cummings pointed out the Last Post had been played before kick off as a mark of respect for the forthcoming Remembrance Day but it did not have a positive effect on the defendant. The judge told McManniman: "You were seen on a number of occasions standing and gesticulating at the away supporters while shouting anti-Semitic abuse and making loud hissing sounds which I am sure were intended to reference the gas chambers in the Holocaust."
The judge praised Mr Gaul and the Everton steward for their public-spirited behaviour and added McManniman's actions could have sparked further trouble.
Charles Lander, defending, said McManniman has voluntarily been engaging with agencies to help with mental health problems and his mum had written a letter setting out his shame and remorse. He said that the defendant had lost the sight in an eye after being attacked 15 years ago and had not been able to work.
Mr Lander added: "Alcohol was the reason why he behaved as he did. He has a previous history of drinking too much and behaving antisocially. He admits he needs assistance of agencies."
But Judge Cummings pointed out McManniman had maintained in his trial that he had not been drunk. He said he had decided after hearing about McManniman's mental health issues to impose a nine-month prison sentence, but suspended it for two years.
McManniman was banned from attending football matches for five years. He was also ordered to carry out 15 days of rehabilitation activities and given a six-month alcohol treatment requirement.
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