Three men sentenced for hate crime and selling football fake tickets

Pictured left to right: Steven Dodd, John Gill and Barnaby Dodsworth

Three men have been sentenced in separate incidents of hate crime-related offences and selling fake football tickets.

Steven Dodd, John Gill and Barnaby Dodsworth appeared in court for their respective offences, and each sentenced for their crimes.

On Wednesday 16 October, Stephen Dodd, 44 years, from Old Swan pleaded guilty to posting malicious communications between December 2023 and January this year. Dodd was identified as posting discriminatory and hateful tweets on social media (on X formerly known as Twitter) which were homophobic, hostile towards people who have a disability and tragedy chanting. He was given a three-year football banning order, 12-month community order, and fines at South Sefton Magistrates Court.

John Gill, 50 years, from Fazakerley, pleaded guilty to fraud where he sold fake tickets to two people outside Anfield Stadium for the Liverpool Football Club vs Wolverhampton Wanderers game on 19 May.

Gill was sentenced to 17 weeks in prison and issued a fine at Liverpool Magistrates Court on Tuesday 15 October.

Barnaby Dodsworth, 50 years, from Sheffield, was convicted for using threatening and abusive words at the Liverpool vs Sheffield United game at Anfield on 4 April. He was heard shouting homophobic slurs which caused distress to people attending the game.

Dodsworth, a Sheffield United supporter, was found guilty and issued with three-year football banning order at South Sefton Magistrates Court on 2 October.

Chief Inspector Iain Wyke said: “This type of behaviour displayed by Dodd, Gill and Dodsworth has no place in football.

“Dodd and Dodsworth were each issued with football banning orders for hateful comments posted online and offensive chanting at a match which caused distress to others, and this is wholly unacceptable.

“This ban prevents them now from attending any football game in the country.

“While Gill scammed supporters out of significant amounts of money by selling fake tickets to them outside the stadium, and he is now spending time in jail.

“I hope these sentencing sends a clear message and acts as a deterrent to others that we will be put you before the courts to be prosecuted.”