MAN UNITED FAN WHO MADE SICK HILLSBOROUGH GESTURES IS 'EMBARRASSED'

• Michael Avery's behaviour in the stands also referenced 1985 Heysel disaster 
• Incident took place at Man Utd's FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool in March

A Manchester United fan, who made sick 'fence' and 'push' gestures mocking the Hillsborough and Heysel disasters, has told a court he is 'ashamed and embarrassed'.

Michael Avery was fined £1,205 and banned from football for three years after 'tragedy chanting' at his team's FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool last month.

The probe into the 45-year-old's behaviour came after footage of the gestures emerged on social media.

Taken from the away section after the match, it featured the supporter repeatedly pressing his hand against his face to mimic a crush as he exited Old Trafford below the Liverpool fans.

On Monday, Manchester Magistrates' Court heard the gesture was a reference to the Hillsborough disaster, in which 97 Liverpool fans died following a crush at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.

Now Avery has said he is 'deeply sorry' for his behaviour at the match and that he 'really regrets' his actions.

He said: 'Everyone that knows me has obviously felt this as well. It's just a difficult situation. 

'I wish it never would have happened. I regret it terribly.

'I hope other people look on what's happened to me and think twice before they do anything at football games.'

The clip of Avery's gestures has been widely shared on X, formerly Twitter, and also shows the Manchester United fan pushing with two hands, which the court was told was a reference to the Heysel stadium disaster, where 39 people died at a match between Juventus and Liverpool in 1985.

The defendant, wearing a black long-sleeved polo shirt, sat with his head down as the video was played twice.

Tess Kenyon, prosecuting, said: 'The defendant's gestures are abusive in the context of what they denote and they were directed towards Liverpool fans at this football match.'

She told the court the video went viral online and the following day the defendant presented himself at a police station where he told officers people were 'getting the wrong end of the stick'.

Ian Huggan, defending, said Avery was a 'family man' with a job in the construction industry.

He said: 'He feels that he has not only let himself down but his family and close friends.'

Magistrates told Avery, who lives in Manchester, he was banned from attending football matches in the UK for three years and would have to surrender his passport when certain games were played outside the UK.

He was given a fine of £800 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £320 and prosecution costs of £85.

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2024-04-22T17:53:16Z dg43tfdfdgfd