Golf captain sentenced for mocking fan's death

A man who shared an offensive message seemingly mocking the death of an away fan at a Sheffield Wednesday game has been handed a community order.

West Brom supporter Mark Townsend died after suffering a medical episode at the Leppings Lane end of Sheffield's Hillsborough Stadium last September.

In October, Richard Crisp admitted making the post on X which referenced the 1989 Hillsborough disaster which killed 97 Liverpool fans.

At Sheffield Magistrates' Court on Friday, Crisp, 55, of Lennox Road in Hillsborough, received a 12-month community order and was ordered to pay £200 in costs.

Crisp had earlier admitted sending a communication of an offensive or indecent nature.

Police were alerted to the post by the manager of Hillsborough Golf Club, where Crisp was captain, the court heard.

The club received a phone call threatening to "burn it down".

When arrested, Crisp said he regretted the comments and said he had been drinking.

The court was told there had been no specific complaints from the family of Mr Townsend.

Magistrates heard Crisp had been expelled from his golf club, had lost his job and had been banned for life by Sheffield Wednesday.

A letter read on his behalf to the court said: "I made distressing, disrespectful and derogatory comments.

"I wish to apologise unreservedly for all the offence I caused."

His solicitor told the court he had been under a great deal of stress after his mother had been diagnosed with dementia and had taken solace in alcohol as a way of coping.

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.