Men guilty of homophobic chanting at Blackpool FC and PNE derby

10:26am Thursday 31st July 2008

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Two men have been convicted of homophobic chanting at a derby game between Blackpool and Preston North End and banned from both grounds.

Michael Whittle, 23, and 24-year-old Lee Walker, both from Preston, were convicted at Fleetwood Magistrates Court of public order offences in relation to homophobic chanting at the football match at Blackpool FC's Bloomfield Road ground, on Saturday, March 15.

Whittle and Walker have received fines and Preston North End FC has banned them from matches for a period of 12 months.

The two males will also not be admitted to fixtures at Bloomfield Road, where the offences took place.

PC Lindsey Nottingham, the LGBT liaison officer for Blackpool said: “Having been part of the policing operation at Bloomfield Road that day, I can confirm that the nature of some of the chants from the PNE fans were derogatory and insulting to members of Blackpool’s LGBT Community.

“As such, I later identified Whittle and Walker as being two of the males responsible for instigating and fuelling the chants.

"Their subsequent prosecution and conviction sends out a clear message that there is no place for homophobia either in Blackpool or in the game of football.”

Earlier this year, two Blackpool fans were convicted of racial chanting at the same match.