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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Paul Grange: Offensive Hillsborough T-shirt was 'banter' | Paul Grange: Offensive Hillsborough T-shirt was 'banter' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man who wore an offensive T-shirt relating to the Hillsborough disaster said it was 'banter' with Liverpool-supporting friends. | A man who wore an offensive T-shirt relating to the Hillsborough disaster said it was 'banter' with Liverpool-supporting friends. |
| Paul Grange, 50, of Worcester, admitted a public order offence and was fined £600 by city magistrates earlier. | Paul Grange, 50, of Worcester, admitted a public order offence and was fined £600 by city magistrates earlier. |
| He said he had deservedly "lost everything" after wearing the T-shirt in a pub beer garden on 29 May. | He said he had deservedly "lost everything" after wearing the T-shirt in a pub beer garden on 29 May. |
| The wording on the shirt suggested the disaster was "God's way" of helping a pest control company. | The wording on the shirt suggested the disaster was "God's way" of helping a pest control company. |
| Magistrates heard Grange ordered the T-shirt from a printing firm. | Magistrates heard Grange ordered the T-shirt from a printing firm. |
| When he wore it at the Brewers Arms pub in the St Johns area of Worcester, he was asked to leave by the landlord and arrested the following day. | When he wore it at the Brewers Arms pub in the St Johns area of Worcester, he was asked to leave by the landlord and arrested the following day. |
| More on this and other Worcester stories | More on this and other Worcester stories |
| A statement by Louise Brookes, whose brother Andrew was one of 96 football fans to die as a result of the April 1989 Hillsborough disaster, said the T-shirt caused her hurt, anxiety and sleepless nights. | |
| "For 27 years, I have had to listen to and read of such hatred directed towards my family," she added. | "For 27 years, I have had to listen to and read of such hatred directed towards my family," she added. |
| Representing himself in court, Grange said: "Hearing that statement, it's hit home, the personal effect of it. | |
| "It (the T-shirt) was only supposed to be between friends." | "It (the T-shirt) was only supposed to be between friends." |
| Grange expressed remorse, adding: "Because of my own actions, I have lost my home, my job, my friends, my family and relationship. | |
| "And it's deserved - I don't think it's any less than I deserve." | "And it's deserved - I don't think it's any less than I deserve." |
| Grange pleaded guilty to "displaying threatening/abusive writing/sign/visible representation likely to cause harassment/alarm/distress". | Grange pleaded guilty to "displaying threatening/abusive writing/sign/visible representation likely to cause harassment/alarm/distress". |
| In addition to a £600 fine, the 50-year-old, of Columbia Drive, Worcester, was ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and £135 in costs. | In addition to a £600 fine, the 50-year-old, of Columbia Drive, Worcester, was ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and £135 in costs. |
| In April, an inquest concluded the 96 fans were unlawfully killed while attending the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in Sheffield. |