Antoine Semenyo Froze After Alleged Racist Abuse By Liverpool Fan, Court Told
- Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo froze on the pitch after a Liverpool fan allegedly shouted a racial slur at him during a Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool...
- The defendant in the case, 47-year-old Mark Mogan of Templehill Close, Dovecot, denies a charge of racially aggravated behaviour.
- Mr Semenyo briefly froze as he couldn't believe what the male had said.
Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo froze on the pitch after a Liverpool fan allegedly shouted a racial slur at him during a Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool Magistrates’ Court was told. The incident occurred on August 15, 2025, as Semenyo, then playing for Bournemouth, prepared to take a throw-in roughly 30 minutes into the opening match of the season, Sky Sports reported.
Mark Mogan Denies Racially Aggravated Behaviour at Anfield
The defendant in the case, 47-year-old Mark Mogan of Templehill Close, Dovecot, denies a charge of racially aggravated behaviour. Prosecutor Simon Jones told the court that Mogan, who is a wheelchair user sitting in the disabled section of the Main Stand, looked directly at the footballer and shouted a racial insult combined with a demand to hurry the restart. Two short video clips played in court showed the defendant in an agitated and angry state.
Mr Semenyo briefly froze as he couldn’t believe what the male had said.
Simon Jones, Prosecutor (via Sky Sports)
According to the prosecution, Mogan followed the initial comment by shouting further abuse directly at the player. Witnesses at the fixture described the defendant throwing chewing gum from his mouth, which struck Semenyo on the right side of his shorts. Fellow Liverpool fan Neil Sherratt stated in a court reading that he saw Mogan approach the pitch from his disabled bay and heard him shout for the player to hurry up before Semenyo turned around with a shocked expression.
Contradictory Police Interviews and Witness Testimony
The trial exposed stark differences between the accounts provided by prosecutors, witnesses, and the accused. Another spectator, Nicholas Collins, testified that Mogan became very cocky and brazen after the incident, threatening to assault police officers if they approached him. When interviewed by police the following day, Mogan claimed that Semenyo had called him a cripple, which upset him, and insisted he merely dropped chewing gum on the floor rather than throwing it at the athlete. The prosecution told the court that Mogan clearly lied during that police interview.
BBC reporting confirmed that Semenyo reported the episode to match referee Anthony Taylor at the next stoppage in play. Stadium security removed Mogan from Anfield at half-time.
Antoine Semenyo Set to Give Evidence by Videolink
The legal proceedings at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court are ongoing.
