Liverpool fan accused of racially abusing Antoine Semenyo rushed to hospital after suffering seizure during trial

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A Liverpool football fan accused of shouting racial abuse at player Antoine Semenyo was taken to hospital partway through his trial on Wednesday.

Mark Mogan, 47, is alleged to have yelled a racial slur at the then-Bournemouth footballer as he stepped up to take a throw-in 30 minutes into the first match of the Premier League season on 15 August last year.

Semenyo, who now plays for Manchester City, was due to give evidence via videolink at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday afternoon, following a work commitment that prevented his attendance in the morning.

However, Mogan, who the court heard has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, suffered a seizure during the lunch break and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

An application made by prosecutors to continue the trial without him was turned down by District Judge Mary Dowrick.

The court case is expected to resume at a later date.

Earlier during Wednesday’s proceedings, prosecutor Simon Jones informed the court that Semenyo “froze” after hearing Mogan shout: “Hurry up and take the throw-in, you black b******.”

He 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.”

The court was told Mogan subsequently shouted “I’m talking to you, you c***”.

Mr Jones said: “He 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 footballer reported the abuse to match referee Anthony Taylor when play next stopped, and Mogan was removed from the ground at half time, the court was told.

Two short video clips of the incident were shown to the court, in which Mr Jones said the defendant could be seen in an “agitated and angry state”.

He added that witnesses reported seeing Mogan pull chewing gum from his mouth and launch it towards 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 statement presented to court, fellow Liverpool supporter Neil Sherratt said he watched Mogan, who sits beside him at matches, leave his allocated area in the Main Stand disabled section and head towards the pitch when Semenyo went for the throw-in.

He recalled hearing Mogan shout words to the effect of “hurry up” and observed Semenyo turning back towards him.

He said: “Semenyo had a shocked look on his face and I believe he has replied back by saying: ‘You what?'”

Another supporter, Nicholas Collins, stated that Mogan appeared “very cocky and brazen” following the encounter, reportedly saying: “If the bizzies (police) come I’m going to deck them. I’m not going anywhere.”

Mogan, who was accompanied in court by an intermediary, was interviewed by police the following day and told officers he had merely shouted at Semenyo telling him to “hurry up”.

“His account was that Antoine Semenyo called him a cripple, which upset him,” Mr Jones said. “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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