West Ham fan banned for three years for Nazi salute to Austrian club’s supporters
Hornchurch resident Daniel Garner, 26, claimed to be intoxicated but was told: 'Football fans should never have to tolerate abusive behaviour'
A man who made Nazi salutes during an international football match has been fined and handed a three-year football banning order.
Daniel Garner, 26, made several Nazi salutes towards away fans during a Europa League game between West Ham United and Rapid Vienna at the London Stadium on 30 September last year.
At Stratford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 24 May, he pleaded guilty to one count of using threatening or abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment or alarm or distress.
Garner was fined £166 and the prosecution successfully applied for a football banning order which will stop Garner from attending matches for three years.
Nosheen Hussain, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Football fans from any country should never have to tolerate abusive behaviour. Daniel Garner’s conduct was insulting and inciteful.
“The prosecution case included CCTV footage which clearly showed Garner making offensive Nazi salutes toward Austrian fans. During police interview he claimed to be intoxicated – but this is no excuse for such vile behaviour.
“The CPS will always aim to prosecute those who seek to cause harassment.”
Former West Ham striker Paolo di Canio lost his job at Sky Sports Italia in 2016 when he appeared in a Facebook live feed with a short-sleeved T-shirt, which showed he had a tattoo which says ‘DUX’ – reportedly a reference to former Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, who was known as Il Duce.
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