Source: PinkPaper

A Spurs fan may sue Portsmouth police after his conviction for shouting homophobic abuse at player Sol Campbell is overturned.

A 42-year old man and a 14-year old boy who were found guilty earlier this year of hurling homophobic abuse at football player Sol Campbell, say they may sue police after winning an appeal and having their convictions overturned.

Ian Trow and the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were sentenced to a three-year football banning order and a fine in May after allegedly chanting homophobic abuse at player Sol Campbell in a Portsmouth vs Tottenham Hotspur match at Fratton Park in September last year.

However, after reviewing the case, Judge Ian Price ruled that even though chants of ‘gay boy’ could be heard in footage of the incident, there was no decisive evidence to prove that these chants came from Mr Trow and the boy. As a result he overturned the convictions and repealed their sentences. Speaking outside Portsmouth Crown Court, Mr Trow, of Milton Keynes, said:

“I’m looking at a civil case against the police after this. It’s a relief that it’s been thrown out but it should never, ever have got this far. The initial decision was just disgraceful and I’m glad that in the end justice has been done.”

The initial convictions coincided with an upsurge in movements aimed at wiping out homophobia in football. Kick It Out, which was initially founded in 1993 to tackle racism in the sport, now encompasses all types of bigotry in football. And in 2008, the Justin Campaign was created in memory of Justin Fashanu, the first openly gay football player, who committed suicide in 1998. Both are now dedicated to wiping out homophobia and prejudice in the game.

Convictions against four others found guilty of hurling abuse at Campbell in the incident last year still stand.