The man responsible for racially abusing Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling at the weekend has been jailed for 16 weeks.
Karl Anderson, 29, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated common assault on Sterling in court on Wednesday.
The court heard how Anderson kicked and shouted racial abuse at the 23-year-old as he tried to enter City’s training facilities ahead of the weekend match against Tottenham.
‘I didn’t think this type of behaviour still happened in this country in this day and age,’ a statement from Sterling read.
Those present at Manchester and Salford magistrates’ court were told Anderson, a Manchester United fan with a history of football-related violence, had pulled up alongside Sterling’s car in his white van. Carl Miles, prosecuting, then explained that both men had left their vehicles with Anderson calling Sterling a “black scouse c***”.
Anderson is then said to have told the footballer: “I hope your mother and child wake up dead in the morning, you n*****.” He is then said to have kicked Sterling four times.
The court heard Anderson has 25 previous convictions for 37 offences, including throwing a flare at police during a football match.
In January of last year, he was one of 12 United fans to be issued with football banning orders after violence before an FA Cup fixture with Sheffield United.
John Black, defending, said that Anderson had become angry after his girlfriend – also in his vehicle at the time of the incident – had asked him to request an autograph.
‘He apologises through me to Mr Sterling for his actions,” his lawyer added.
