Semenyo 'Froze' After Alleged Racial Abuse by Liverpool Fan at Anfield

Semenyo 'froze' after alleged racial abuse by Liverpool fan at Anfield, court hears

Antoine Semenyo "froze" after allegedly being racially abused by a Liverpool fan during Bournemouth's Premier League opener at Anfield on 15 August last year, Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard on Wednesday. Mark Mogan, 47, denies racially aggravated behaviour.

• Incident: Alleged racial abuse of Antoine Semenyo by a Liverpool fan at Anfield
• Date: 15 August last year, about 30 minutes into the opening Premier League match of the season
• Defendant: Mark Mogan, 47, of Templehill Close, Dovecot
• Charge: Racially aggravated behaviour — Mogan denies the charge
• Player then: Antoine Semenyo, playing for Bournemouth; he now plays for Manchester City
• Reporting: Semenyo reported the incident to referee Anthony Taylor; Mogan was removed from the stadium at half time

What was said

Prosecuting, Simon Jones told the court that Semenyo saw Mogan, a wheelchair-user, to his right-hand side and heard him shout at him. Jones described the player's immediate reaction and the abuse he alleges followed.

"Hurry up and take the throw-in, you black b*****d."

"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."

"I'm talking to you, you c***."

"He 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."

"We say that was plainly an unsavoury action from an angry man."

"Semenyo had a shocked look on his face and I believe he has replied back by saying 'you what'."

"If the bizzies (police) come I'm going to deck them. I'm not going anywhere."

"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."

Those quotes frame the central dispute. The prosecution case is that Mogan aimed racial abuse directly at a player taking a throw-in, and that his later account to police was untrue. Mogan's defence, as put in interview, is that he only told Semenyo to hurry up and was himself upset by an insult.

Two short video clips were shown to the court, in which Mr Jones said the defendant could be seen in an "agitated and angry state". Witnesses also described seeing Mogan take chewing gum from his mouth and throw it at Semenyo, striking him on the right side of his shorts. The court heard Mogan was interviewed by police the following day.

The evidence and witness accounts

• Video: Two short clips of the incident were shown to the court; the prosecution says Mogan can be seen "agitated and angry".
• Chewing gum: Witnesses say Mogan took chewing gum from his mouth and threw it at Semenyo, striking him on the right side of his shorts.
• Neil Sherratt: A fellow Liverpool fan who sits next to Mogan in the disabled section of the Main Stand; he saw Mogan leave his bay and approach the pitch as Semenyo came to take the throw-in. He heard a shout along the lines of "hurry up" and saw Semenyo turn towards him with a shocked look.
• Nicholas Collins: Another fan, who said Mogan became "very cocky and brazen" after the incident and made the remark about police.
• Police interview: Mogan told officers he shouted at Semenyo to "hurry up" and said the player called him a cripple, which upset him. He said he threw chewing gum onto the floor, not at Semenyo.
• Reporting: Semenyo reported the incident to match referee Anthony Taylor when the ball next went out of play.
• Removal: Mogan was removed from the stadium at half time.

Why this case matters beyond the courtroom

The alleged abuse took place about 30 minutes into a top-flight match, with Antoine Semenyo close enough to the touchline to hear it. That proximity is central to the prosecution: the abuse was, on their case, aimed directly at the player and not lost in crowd noise. Semenyo's reaction — freezing, then going to take the throw-in anyway — is exactly the kind of detail courts rely on when assessing whether conduct crossed from heckling into a hate crime.

Referee Anthony Taylor's involvement matters too. Players are drilled to report abuse to the referee immediately, and Semenyo did so at the next stoppage. The outcome of the trial, and how the Crown Prosecution Service handles the evidence, will be watched by clubs and supporter groups. The fact the defendant is a wheelchair-user also makes the case unusual: the disabled section of the Main Stand is inches from the pitch, meaning physical proximity to players is far greater than in a standard stand.

For Semenyo, who now plays for Manchester City, the case is a reminder that matchday abuse can follow a player's career even after a transfer. Bournemouth, his club on the day, are not accused of any failing. The match itself is not on trial, but the way the crowd behaved — and the way the stewards and police responded — is part of the backdrop.

Talking points

• Did the stewards act fast enough? Mogan was only removed at half time, despite the abuse being reported to Anthony Taylor earlier in the first half.
• The prosecution says Mogan "clearly lied" in his police interview — but the defence case rests entirely on his account. Which version will the magistrates believe?
• Should Semenyo have left the touchline immediately rather than taking the throw-in, and does the fact he stayed strengthen the prosecution's case?
• Anfield has rolled out anti-discrimination measures in recent seasons. Does this case show stadium bans and education still lag behind the problem?

What happens next

Antoine Semenyo is expected to give evidence over a videolink on Wednesday afternoon. Mark Mogan, of Templehill Close, Dovecot, denies racially aggravated behaviour. The trial continues at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, and the magistrates will decide the verdict after hearing all evidence. A conviction could result in a ban from football grounds and a criminal record.

Frequently asked questions

What was Antoine Semenyo accused of doing to the Liverpool fan?

According to the prosecution, Mark Mogan told police in interview that Semenyo called him a cripple, which upset him. The prosecution say Mogan clearly lied in that interview.

Where was Mark Mogan sitting when the alleged abuse happened?

The court heard Mogan sits in the disabled section of the Main Stand at Anfield, next to fellow Liverpool fan Neil Sherratt, and left his bay to approach the pitch as Semenyo came to take the throw-in.

Did Antoine Semenyo report the alleged abuse during the match?

Yes. The court heard Semenyo 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.

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