Former Blackburn footballer 'made homophobic gesture'

Former Blackburn Rovers footballer Colin Kazim-Richards mimicked pulling his shorts down, put his left arm behind his bottom and made a homophobic gesture towards the crowd while playing against one of his previous clubs, a court has heard.

The 27-year-old, who was known as the Coca Cola Kid after being bought by Brighton and Hove Albion with proceeds won in a competition run by the drinks company, was on loan to Blackburn when he was allegedly seen making the gesture during Blackburn's Championship match against Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on February 12 last year.

At one point he was seen by a witness backing into Brighton player Wayne Bridge and simulating a sex act which was deemed to be homophobic, Brighton and Hove Magistrates' Court was told.

Prosecutor Simon Allen told the court that Kazim-Richards, from Bishops Stortford, made the alleged gesture to Brighton and Hove Albion fans who were chanting "you fat b*d" and "you're fat and you know you are" at him.

He said: "It seems that the player reacted to this and he mimicked pulling down his shorts and with his left hand behind his back mimicked that he had something in his hand and moved it back and forward."

Mr Allen said that each time he did this the chants from the crowd grew louder.

Christopher Cannon and his son Daryl, who were working as match day press stewards at the Amex, told the court they saw Kazim-Richards make the gesture more than once.

Both men told the court they found it offensive and perceived it to be homophobic.

Mr Cannon junior said: "I perceived it as a very wrong thing to do, particularly for someone who's involved with the Kick It Out Campaign.

"Racism and homophobia are on the same level."

Season-ticket-holder Darren Hastings, who sits in the lower west stand, said he noticed Kazim-Richards make the obscene gesture four or five times during the match.

He said it was his perception that the player was trying to get a reaction from the crowd, and that he was succeeding.

He said he was disappointed that neither the linesman or referee reacted to what was going on and said: "It was utterly disgusting.

"I understand that football players receive a number of gestures or comments from the crowd but I certainly did not expect to see a football player perform that gesture on the pitch."

Stan Reiz, defending Kazim-Richards, said that hand gestures were made during football matches all the time and that due to the Brighton having a large gay community an innocent hand gesture made behind his back had been perceived as being homophobic.

London-born Kazim-Richards, who now plays for Turkish club Bursaspor, is charged with one count of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, within the sight or hearing of a person, likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.