‘Racist’ Chelsea supporters handed suspended jail terms plus £8,500 fine for pushing black commuter off Paris Metro train
Footie supporters were allegedly among fans who shouted "we are racist, we are racist and that's the way we like it"
FOUR Chelsea football fans have been found guilty of racially abusing a black commuter on the Paris Metro and handed suspended jail terms.
The footie supporters were accused of pushing the man off a train before singing "we are racist, we are racist and that's the way we like it".
The February 2015 attack, which took place before a Champions League away game against Paris St Germain, caused outrage after a Brit captured it on video.
The film, which was played in court, shows commuter Souleymane Sylla, 34, repeatedly trying to get on the train, before he is shoved back on to the platform.
Trainee scaffolder Joshua Parsons, 22, and civil engineer James Fairbairn, 25, today denied their actions were racist at the Paris Correctional Court.
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Their co-accused, fellow Chelsea fans Richard Barklie, a 52-year-old former policeman, and William Simpson, 27, were tried in their absence.
Barklie and Simpson were given 12-month suspended sentences on charges of committing racist violence and making chants of a racist nature.
Parsons and Fairbairn were handed suspended sentences of eight months and six months respectively on similar charges.
They were all ordered to pay the victim (£8,500) 10,000 euros in compensation.
Fairbairn was directly accused of gesturing towards the colour of Mr Sylla’s skin, making out that this was the reason he was ejected.
Fairbairn told the court: "I wasn’t acting in a racist way. I am not a racist in any way."
Like Fairbairn, Parsons said he had been herded around by French police and was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"We were singing Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea," said Parsons.
"Mr Sylla appeared and stood in front of the train which was absolutely packed. There were people pushing from behind.
"It was very hot and hostile. Mr Syalla forced himself on to the train. You can see it in the video. He grabs hold of the bar and launches himself on to the train.
"We got pushed back. Mr Syalla is much bigger and wider than me," Parsons added, before saying the racist chanting started in a carriage next door, and after Mr Syalla was back on the platform.
Parsons admitted he had been drinking for six hours and sang a "F*** the IRA’ song, but was "in no way racist at all."
The four Chelsea fans had faced a possible penalty of up to five years in prison and fines of more than £64,000 if found guilty of aggravated racist violence.
But prosecutors called for suspended sentences of up to twelve months, and orders banning the defendants from Paris.
After the day-long trial, the judge considered the evidence for 30 minutes, and found all four men guilty.
Parsons and Fairbairn received suspended sentences of eight and six months respectively.
Barklie and Simpson received a year’s suspended prison sentence each.
All were also ordered to pay a fine equivalent of around £9,000 to their victim.
In July 2015 magistrates in Stratford, east London, issued five year orders banning Barklie, Parsons, and Simpson from football matches.
Jordan Munday, 20, from south-east London, was banned for three years. All four had denied racist behaviour.
Mr Sylla, a father of three, gave evidence in the Paris court today, saying: ‘It was a terrible experience.’
The case against the English supporters was also supported by anti-racism groups in France.
A year after his ordeal Mr Sylla accepted an invitation to watch Chelsea play Paris St Germain in a Champions League tie in Paris.
In July last year Chelsea fan Jordan Munday said he was a "scapegoat" for Paris racism and that he was merely stood next to the four men who are now on trial.
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