A football fan who mocked a dead player at a derby match has been banned and fined.
During a game between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United, Brandon Pedryc typed out “Where’s Baldock” in large letters on his phone and waved it at rival fans during the Championship game at Bramall Lane on 11 November last year.
The message was a reference to the death of a former United player George Baldock, who died in Greece a month earlier at the age of 31, Sheffield Magistrates’ Court was told on Monday.
The 23-year-old, a Wednesday fan, said he was responding to being pelted by coins and a bottle, as well as being spat on by rival fans – a claim district judge Marcus Waite accepted.
But Judge Waite described his actions as a “moment of madness” and said they had caused “upset” to fans as well as “enormous distress to the family and friends” of the deceased player.
Pedryc has been fined £300, ordered to pay £205 in costs and surcharges, and given a football banning order for three years.
Speaking to the defendant, the judge said: “You may have been provoked but you reacted by raising the stakes”, adding he had “risked greater disorder” in the highly charged environment of the derby.
Judge Waite went on to say Pedryc had done the right thing, approaching a police officer in Sheffield city centre within an hour of the incident once he realised his actions had gone viral on social media.
The court heard that while the officer made note of what Pedryc admitted to, he did not think a crime had been committed.
After a review by a more senior officer, Pedryc was arrested.
Pedryc told interviewing officers it had been a “sick joke, nothing more” and an attempt to “wind up” the United fans.
Read more from Sky News:
Nicola Sturgeon splits from husband
Just Stop Oil target grave of Charles Darwin
Tyson Fury says he is retiring from boxing
Judge Waite said he had received a lengthy letter from Pedryc who he accepted was “thoroughly remorseful”.
Pedryc, who lives in Barnsley, admitted displaying writing, a sign or other visible representation which was threatening or abusive within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress.
Alex Nolan, defending, told the court his client had already lost one £30,000 job because of the incident, but he had secured other employment.
Baldock had been a Greek international.
He was found dead in his swimming pool in Athens, in October.
He had made 219 appearances for the Blades over seven seasons before leaving last year for Greek side Panathinaikos.