A community order has been imposed on a man who posted an abusive comment that appeared to make fun of the death of an away fan during a Sheffield Wednesday game.
In September of last year, West Brom fan Mark Townsend passed away following a medical incident at Sheffield’s Hillsborough Stadium’s Leppings Lane end.
Richard Crisp acknowledged in October that he had posted on X about the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989, which claimed the lives of 97 Liverpool supporters.
Crisp, 55, of Lennox Road in Hillsborough, was given a 12-month community order and ordered to pay £200 in costs at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Crisp had previously acknowledged sending an offensive or indecent message.
The manager of Hillsborough Golf Club, where Crisp was captain, notified police of the post, the court heard.
A phone call threatening to “burn it down” was received by the club.
Crisp apologized for the remarks and admitted to drinking when he was taken into custody.
The court was informed that Mr. Townsend’s family had not filed any specific complaints.
Magistrates were informed that Crisp had been banned for life by Sheffield Wednesday, had lost his job, and had been kicked out of his golf club.
In a letter to the court read on his behalf, it stated: “I made offensive, hurtful, and disparaging remarks.
“I wish to apologise unreservedly for all the offence I caused.”
His attorney informed the judge that he had been under a lot of stress following his mother’s Alzheimer diagnosis and had turned to drinking as a coping mechanism.
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