Footballer banned for racial abuse
Former Spalding United and Holbeach United footballer Tom Gosling has been banned from attending matches for three years after racially abusing an opposing player.
The incident happened last season while Gosling was playing for Wisbech Town.
The 22-year-old admitted hurling a torrent of abuse at a black Felixstowe and Walton United player during a game on November 24.
He was handed a football banning order at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to racially aggravated harassment.
The court was told how Gosling, of Fen End Lane, Spalding, had uttered a number of racially offensive terms as his team slipped to a 2-0 defeat.
Unemployed Gosling had already been handed a two-year Ridgeons League ban and a 42-game ban by the FA but victim Danny Ebanks reported the incident to police.
Mark Holt, representing Gosling, said: "My client accepts that when he plays football he sometimes gets too absorbed in the game.
"His team were being knocked about the pitch a bit but he wholly accepts that what happened should not have taken place.
"He has clearly received a punishment for this offence already, so is it fair to impose a football banning order on top of that?"
Gosling, a former Lincoln City youth player, was banned from attending football matches or entering any football ground in England and Wales for the next three years.
He must also attend a police station and surrender his passport when the England national team play abroad.
Gosling was ordered to pay compensation of 100 to Mr Ebanks, a fine of 100 and court costs totalling 105.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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