Wolves fan banned by club after making monkey gestures at Tammy Abraham
A fan convicted of making racist monkey gestures to Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham will be banned from attending Wolves matches.
Molineux season ticket holder Josef Smith was found guilty of using racially aggravated threatening or abusive behaviour after he "curled his fists under his armpits in a chimp-like gesture".
The gestures came when Abraham scored a hat-trick at Molineux during Chelsea's 5-2 victory on September 14 last year.
He also spat towards rival fans, a hearing at Dudley Magistrates' Court heard yesterday.
A Wolves spokesman today confirmed Smith will be banned indefinitely from Molineux Stadium and all club fixtures.
Smith, aged 40, of Beech Road, Kingswinford, who denied both charges against him, suggested that mucus from a "bad sneeze" may have been mistaken for spit aimed at Chelsea fans.
Magistrates deliberated for around an hour before convicting Smith of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress and a racially aggravated count of the same offence.
Passing sentence, chairman of the bench Arthur Wheldon told Smith he would have to serve a four-year football banning order.
As well as the football banning order, Smith was fined £800 and ordered to pay £600 in costs and a £50 victim surcharge, making a total bill of £1,450.
