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Omar Bogle speaks on racial abuse from Gillingham fan who escapes football banning order

Newport’s Omar Bogle speaks out on racial abuse from a Gillingham fan who this week escapes being given a football banning order.

According to Sky Sports News, 28 year old Benjamin Burchell, who reportedly has dyspraxia and autism, was given 40 hours of community service and also ordered to pay £200 in compensation to the Newport forward.

The Gillingham fan was arrested on the 28th of October, having been seen during Newport’s 2-0 victory at Priestfield imitating a monkey after Bogle had scored a penalty.

Bogle’s fellow teammates were seen surrounding the striker before making their feelings known towards the fan after seeing the racist gesture.

District Judge William Nelson said, as per Sky Sports News, that Burchell’s learning disabilities ‘played a part in reducing his sentence’.

The judge said: ‘Once again it is very sad that I have to deal with a case such as this where football itself has made such forward inroads into racism, but this demonstrates that there is still much to do to make sure that behaviour and language is eradicated.’

Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports last year, Bogle said: ‘We get the penalty. I score and I’ve done the quiet gesture. I remember as I was running to the corner I was hearing monkey chants, you see the guy do what he does. At first I didn’t realise what he was doing. Then I see my team-mates reaction. You’re shocked, you know what I mean.’

Bogle adds that he ‘almost shed a tear’ while reflecting on being racially abused after the match.

‘Even on the coach, I remember sitting there – obviously it was a long journey back and at one point I almost shed a tear. Or I’d say I had the feeling of I could shed a tear here thinking about it, do you know what I mean, when it was all sinking in. I was thinking, “what has actually just happened.”‘

He added: ‘There’s a part of me that’s glad it was so blatant and obvious that people can’t deny it’s still in our game and prevalent in life.’

‘Then that incident happens you see when he does it, the majority of supporters behind him, were clapping laughing, found it funny so they are big advocates of that kind of behaviour and that kind of mindset.

‘They are comfortable with having someone like him walk amongst them. They’ve enabled that behaviour and they think that’s okay. When you put that together it’s clear what it is. How do we get people not to think that way? That hate that you have in your heart because they look different to you. How do we remove that?’

Gillingham said via their website at the time, that the fan had been given a lifetime ban. Their director of operations, Joe Comper wrote: ‘One thing that people will see today from the way that we have responded, is that our stance is zero tolerance.

‘We are absolutely disgusted, and we are frustrated if I’m honest. We have dealt with it within 30 seconds, the person involved was taken and arrested by the Police.

‘Statements have been taken throughout the game and we have actually spent a lot of time dealing with that incident throughout the game to make sure that the person gets dealt with, and dealt with appropriately, that will now be handled by the Police.’

Kent Police said the fan had been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and was taken into custody.

While Bogle’s club also said: ‘Newport County is extremely disappointed with the racist gesture made to striker Omar Bogle by a Gillingham supporter during today’s League Two fixture at Priestfield Stadium.

‘Newport County abhors any forms of racism, prejudice or discrimination and has a zero-tolerance policy towards incidents of such nature.

‘The EFL have confirmed that the individual has been identified and arrested.’

Bogle added: ‘Listen this problem is bigger than just in football but in life and as we keep saying. There’s no place for racism.’

Twitter users reacted as Omar Bogle speaks on the racial abuse from the Gillingham fan who escapes a football banning order…

@OscroftOfficial: Funny how you get actual scum like this at football, concrete evidence of him doing it and gets bare minimum, no ban. Have a false accusation made against you, ZERO evidence and they try everything to pin it on you and tarnish your name in every national media outlet, get to fuck

@ibboryan: As someone with learning difficulties, this is absolutely bullshit. Fuck you if you use a condition as an excuse to be a cunt.

@uptheblades: This is disgusting and shouldn’t have happened, however please stop with the quote tweets using derogatory language for disabled people, you’re no better than he is if you’re resorting to that.

@AllEnglandFlags: What a disgusting sentencing that is.

@RussWWFC: This is the sort of cowardly cockroaches we have as judges in this country. Let me guess, the judge was white and middle class?

@ShaneDeville86: Crazy how he has escaped a football banning order. Hopefully Gillingham maintain their ban. No place for such behaviour at Gillingham or anywhere else.

@Sonnyisfrisky: I have autism and sensory issues diagnosed but it’s common sense that you can’t racially abuse a player and a matter of fact anyone, that is absolutely poor decision making right there, Do better.

@Wakefield__: I was given a banning order for ‘being drunk attempting to enter a designated sporting event’. A mockery 😂😂

@RNewall2: The justice system in this country is so laughable 😂

@olihakamiutb: as someone who’s been on the ASD pathway and diagnosed ADHD i can confirm right now that having learning difficulties doesn’t warrant racist abuse.

@scfc_wilt: As someone who has learning difficulties it is no excuse for racism and this person should of had a ban. That’s just a slap on the wrist is pathetic

@reado98: Sends a great message to the #KickItOut and #NoRoomForRacism campaigns!

@FPL_FC: He clearly doesn’t have learning difficulties if he’s learnt to be a racist

@twhitehead1986: Gills should never allow him back regardless of getting off lightly with the law

@tomdorey03: Disgraceful sentencing!!! The bloke knew what he was doing and thousands of people saw it because he made himself visibly seen. learning difficulties my arse!!!!

@OwenLDBR: Should never be allowed inside Priestfield again.

@izzyperry2001: Inexcusable. Learnt the racist behaviour from somewhere.

@UFD_OX: Yet take a flare to a game and you’re banned for 3 years..

@SteveJoyce14: Strange how his learning difficulties don’t stop him from organising a ticket, travelling to the stadium, finding his seat but once there his learning difficulties turn him into a racist. Justice system really isn’t fit for purpose. #gills

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