Peterborough United v Cambridge United: Posh fans who chanted 'disgraceful' songs about U's fan Simon Dobbin banned from matches

Three Posh fans who changed ‘disgraceful’ songs about Cambridge United fan Simon Dobbin have been banned from football matches for three years.

Thomas Motte, Dean Foster and Kyle Mortlock all chanted about Mr Dobbin – a supporter who died of injuries suffered when he was assaulted at a football match.

Mr Dobbin’s widow was left ‘physically shocked and stunned’ by the chants, and both Peterborough United and Cambridge United condemned the behaviour of the Posh supporters.

On Friday, March 17, all three men appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court, where they pleaded guilty to using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

The incident happened when the two clubs played each other at the Weston Homes Stadium in Peterborough in the first league match between the two clubs for twenty years.

Chants heard in city throughout the day

Roland Alexander, prosecuting, told the court that the chants had been ‘sung across the entire city, inside the ground and outside the ground throughout the day..’

He said Foster (20), of Cornwallis Drive, Eaton Socon, had been seen singing the chant before the match, as fans made their way to the ground.

Mr Alexander said he became involved in a faceoff between the two sets of fans at the corner of Oundle Road and Town Bridge.

He said: “He was seen pointing and gesturing in a way that says ‘come on’ at a group of fans, with his arms open while fists were clenched.’

Along with the chants about Mr Dobbin, Foster also swore at the Cambridge fans.

Motte and Mortlock were spotted by police chanting about Mr Dobbin after the match.

Club ‘does not tolerate’ the behaviour

Statements from the two clubs were read to the court, detailing how they had both called Mr Dobbin’s widow following the events, with Peterborough United saying the chants were ‘disgraceful,’ and saying the club ‘did not tolerate this behaviour.’

Cambridge United said the chants were ‘the single most offensive and insensitive song that could have been created.’

All three defendants, who represented themselves at the hearing, told the court they were ‘sorry’ for the offence they had caused.

Foster told the court he was a trained coach, currently coaching a woman’s team in Biggleswade who are unbeaten in four years after taking his UEFA licences..

However, passing sentence, Magistrate Joan Tiplady said: “Give what you have told us about how hard you worked to get your licences, we are very sad we have to do this, but we impose a football banning order for three years. THis is such a serious offence with such trauma caused to people there, and to the family and friends of the deceased. We are sad you worked to hard to achieve what you have in coaching, and to the people you coach, if they are affected as well.”

All three received three year football banning orders, and were given different financial penalties, depending on their income.

Foster was fined £461, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £184 and costs of £105.

Mott (22), of Farriers Gate, Chatteris, was fined £120, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £48 and costs of £105.

Mortlock, (23), of Middletons Road, Yaxley, was fined £406, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £162 and costs of £105.

More fans fined for trouble at match

Two other Posh fans were fined for their actions before the match – although they were not accused of chanting about Mr Dobbin.

Nicholas Fasulo (48) of Park Road, Peterborough and Craig Stockhill (42) of Saltmarsh, Peterborough, were drinking in the Park Inn in the lead up to the match, when police lead a group of Cambridge fans along Bourges Boulevard, past the hotel.

Abubaker Mohammed, prosecuting, told the court that the Peterborough fans came out of the bar, and started ‘goading and shouting’ at Cambridge fans.

Video of the confrontation taken from police worn body cameras was shown to the court, which showed officers telling the Peterborough fans to ‘get back’ as they spilled into Wentworth Street.

Both men admitted using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of violence at a hearing at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Friday, March 17.

Chair Magistrate Joanna Bainbridge ordered Stockhill to pay a £276 fine, and a victim surcharge of £110, while Fasulo was ordered to pay a £300 fine, £120 victim surcharge and £105 costs. They were not given football banning orders.

Previous court hearings

The hearings are the latest to be held following trouble at the match.

In February, a 17-year-old Cambridge fan was fined after he was filmed smashing a sink in the away end at the Weston Homes Stadium. The resulting flood damage cost thousands of pounds to repair, with offices and corridors all impacted.

Three Peterborough men were also fined for their roles earlier this month.

To date, 47 people have been identified and interviewed as part of the investigation following the game, and 22 people have been charged.

More fans are set to appear in court in the future charged with committing offences at the match.

Inspector Shish Thind, who is leading the investigation, said: “This has been a lengthy and complex investigation which has involved identifying numerous people, countless interviews and we are now at the stage where we have been able to take next steps in terms of charges, however the investigation is not over yet.

“With the support of both clubs, our investigation is progressing and we will take action against anyone identified as committing criminal offences, and will work with clubs to secure banning orders where appropriate.

“The majority of Cambridge United and Peterborough United supporters behaved responsibly at the match, however, there were a small number of fans who chose to behave in a wholly unacceptable way, and this behaviour has been condemned by both clubs.”