Man accused of racially abusing Antoine Semenyo rushed to hospital during court trial

· Mirror

Mark Mogan, who denies racially aggravated behaviour, is accused of shouting a racial slur at the then-Bournemouth player during a match against Liverpool on August 15 last year.

A Liverpool supporter standing trial for allegedly racially abusing footballer Antoine Semenyo was taken to hospital by ambulance after suffering a seizure during the dinner break. Mark Mogan, 47, is accused of directing a racial slur at the then-Bournemouth player as he prepared to take a throw-in approximately 30 minutes into the first match of the Premier League season on 15th August last year.

Liverpool Magistrates' Court was told on Wednesday that Semenyo saw wheelchair user Mogan and heard him shout: "Hurry up and take the throw-in, you black b". Simon Jones, prosecuting, said: "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.

Mogan then shouted "I'm talking to you, you c," the court heard.

Semenyo, who now plays for Manchester City, had been due to give evidence via video link on Wednesday afternoon, having been unable to appear in the morning due to a prior work commitment. However, Mogan, who the court heard has cerebral palsy and relies on a wheelchair, suffered a seizure during the dinner break of proceedings and was rushed to hospital by ambulance.

An application to continue the trial in his absence was rejected by District Judge Mary Dowrick. The case is expected to resume at a later date.

Mr Jones told the court earlier: "[Mogan] 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."

The court heard that the footballer reported the incident to match referee Anthony Taylor when the ball next went out of play, and Mogan was subsequently removed from the stadium at half-time.

Two brief video clips of the incident were played to the court, in which Mr Jones said the defendant could be seen in an "agitated and angry state".

He told the court that witnesses observed Mogan remove chewing gum from his mouth and hurl it at Semenyo, hitting him on the right side of his shorts.

Mr Jones said: "We say that was plainly an unsavoury action from an angry man."

In a witness statement read aloud to the court, fellow Liverpool supporter Neil Sherratt said he saw Mogan, who is seated next to him at matches, leave his bay in the disabled section of the Main Stand and move towards the pitch as Semenyo approached to take the throw-in.

He said he heard Mogan shout something along the lines of "hurry up" and watched Semenyo turn to face him, adding: "Semenyo had a shocked look on his face and I believe he has replied back by saying 'you what'."

A further spectator, Nicholas Collins, stated that following the incident Mogan became "very cocky and brazen" and declared: "If the bizzies (police) come I'm going to deck them. I'm not going anywhere."

Mogan, who was accompanied by an intermediary in court, was questioned by police the next day and informed officers he had called out to Semenyo to "hurry up".

Mr Jones said: "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."

Mogan, of Templehill Close, Dovecot, denies racially aggravated behaviour.

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