Father and son Millwall fans admit 'tragedy chanting' offence

A father and son who made helicopter gestures at Leicester City fans during a match at Millwall's The Den stadium have admitted a public order offence.

Peter Brooks, 48, and Freddie Brooks, 18, were referencing the 2018 crash that killed Leicester City's then owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

The Met Police said the "deeply offensive gestures" were an example of "tragedy chanting".

What happened was "quite simply a hate crime", Det Con Phil Dickinson said.

Det Con Dickinson, of the Football Investigations Team, said the men's behaviour "crossed the line of what is acceptable".

During the FA Cup match, which Leicester City won 3-2, the two men were also filmed pointing at a passing helicopter and laughing.

The father and son, of Rolls Road, Bermondsey, south-east London, were each given a three-year football banning order at Bromley Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Freddie Brooks was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a victim surcharge of £26, while Peter Brooks was fined £266 and told to pay £85 in costs and a £106 victim surcharge.

Det Con Dickinson said: "These convictions demonstrate the zero-tolerance approach we are taking to those who partake in so-called tragedy chanting.

"While such incidents might previously have been viewed as simply being in poor taste, they are now rightly being recognised for what they are - vile offences which cause upset and outrage."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]