Essex police officer sacked after admitting ‘tragedy chanting' at Anfield
An Essex police officer has been sacked after admitting 'tragedy chanting' at Liverpool fans during a Premier League match last year.
Essex police instigated misconduct proceedings against Sgt Tyler Coppin after he pleaded guilty to the public order offence during the Liverpool game against Chelsea at Anfield last October.
He was given a three-year football banning order and ordered to pay £645 in fines and costs in December, Merseyside police said.
Coppin had been witnessed by stewards chanting towards Liverpool fans. He was ejected from the stands and arrested.
On Friday, a misconduct panel chaired by the Essex police chief constable, Ben-Julian Harrington, found that Coppin had breached standards of professional behaviour in relation to honesty and integrity, authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct.
He was dismissed from Essex police force without notice and will be placed on the College of Policing barred list.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, tragedy chanting is when fans sing, chant or gesture offensive messages about disasters or accidents involving players or other fans.
Harrington said Coppin, who had previously had an unblemished career in policing, was being dismissed as the result of 'a moment's serious stupidity', but that this was 'the only appropriate outcome'.
'It is clear that ex-Sgt Coppin was remorseful and may not have been aware of the impact of his words, but he has been criminally convicted of a public order offence,' the chief constable said.
'His actions will seriously undermine public trust and confidence and I must send a clear message to officers, staff and the wider public that behaviour such as this cannot and will not be tolerated in policing.
'If officers are responsible for upholding the law, it cannot be right that they break it.'
Ch Insp Kevin Chatterton, of Merseyside police, said: 'This type of behaviour has no place in football. We will take action and identify those who commit hate crime in any form, and this includes unacceptable chanting which causes distress to others.'
In a 'fan information and chant warning', published on its website in January last year, Chelsea FC wrote: 'Chelsea Football Club believes hateful chanting has no place in football.'
Last season, Arsenal welcomed three-year banning orders handed down to three Arsenal fans who pleaded guilty to tragedy-related abuse during an FA Cup match against Liverpool at the Emirates stadium, north London.
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