Footie fan stripped of season ticket in three-year ban after sick taunt about Munich air crash
A FOOTBALL fan was today banned from matches for three years for a sick taunt about the Munich air disaster which went viral.
Newcastle United supporter James Blake, 42, “photobombed” a YouTuber’s report at the club’s Carabao Cup clash with Manchester City in September.
Blake — who had been drinking heavily and was wearing a replica Newcastle shirt — yelled: “Hello! What about Man United, eh? Air disasters, air disasters.”
Prosecutor Steven Davis said: “You will see a person address the camera when he is approached from behind by a man and a young child and he makes the comment.”
Eight Manchester United players were among 23 people who died in 1958 when a plane crashed during take-off in then-West Germany.
Painter and decorator Blake was stripped of his season ticket by Newcastle after his arrest.
Dave Parish, mitigating, said: “He is deeply remorseful and frankly ashamed by this behaviour.
“He accepts he was highly intoxicated at the time.”
Blake, of North Shields, admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress at North Tyneside magistrates’ court.
He was fined £400, ordered to pay a total of £780 and banned for three years from all football matches in England and Wales.