Homophobic fan learns the true impact of calling someone a rent boy

Steve was leaving the football ground when he shouted back at some away fans. Moments later he was in handcuffs and under arrest.

He had shouted a homophobic slur, committing a hate crime that led to him being charged with a Section 5 Public Order offence. The case ended up in court, where he pleaded guilty, and he was banned from attending football matches in the UK for three years.

Now Steve - not his real name as he fears for the impact on his professional and personal life - is trying to make amends after coming through a fan education programme run by anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out.

A lifelong football fan, Steve had just watched his side play Chelsea and was leaving the stadium.

"I heard Chelsea fans shouting and I shouted back, 'Oi, you Chelsea rent boys', gave them a few gestures and thought nothing of it. I thought I was just having a bit of back and forth with the away fans," he said.

What followed is all a bit of a blur.

"I walked away and then all of a sudden I was surrounded by six security guards. And then from that point, a police officer arrested me and put the cuffs on."

"I'm in my 20s and I didn't really understand that [term]," Steve said. "I knew there was stuff around it, but I didn't really perceive why it was homophobic."

Steve was eventually referred to Kick It Out, which runs a fan education programme where offenders learn about the different types of discrimination and the impact their actions can have on victims.

"I accept that [what I did] was awful, and now it's about repaying that, turning that into something positive. I've had a look at myself... I'm willing to make amends," he said.

Sounds like not such a bad idea. Maybe we could organise to send some dramatards to these webinars to minimise homophobia on rdrama?

!football