Sheffield Wednesday forward Fernando Forestieri has been found not guilty of racially abusing an opposition player before a mass brawl.
The Owls striker, 29, was alleged to have called Mansfield defender Krystian Pearce ‘a n****r’ during a pre-season friendly at the One Call Stadium on July 24 last year because he was ‘frustrated’.
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Forestieri has been found not guilty of racial abusing a player
A district judge at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court ruled it was possible the Mansfield captain may have misheard Forestieri, who claimed he was only insulting him in Spanish.
In a prepared statement made to police, Forestieri said he
‘swore on his son’s life’ he did not racially abuse the Barbados international, claiming he must have been mistaken.
The game, which ended in a 2-1 win for home side Mansfield, ended in a ’40-man brawl’ after Forestieri was booked for a scissor tackle on defender Hayden White just after the 80th minute.
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Pearce of Mansfield Town was the player who had allegedly been abused
Pearce confronted Forestieri about the alleged incident after the match but he denied being racist, and apologised if the defender had ‘misheard’.
Forestieri, of Chambers Grove, Sheffield, denied racially aggravated harassment and using threatening words or behaviour and heard the verdict announced through a Spanish interpreter.
Recording a not guilty verdict on Thursday, District Judge Jonathan Taffe said: “It is clear that the conclusion to the game was anything but friendly, with a mass brawl breaking out which could have led to a wide scale public disorder amongst spectators.
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“I do understand why Mr Forestieri wishes to make the point that he is not a racist – his personal and professional reputation is at stake.
“There were thousands of fans, rival fans, players and staff all shouting. This is relevant for, in my judgment, it possibly accounts for the fact that no other person, even those in close proximity, heard what was said.”
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The judge added: “I have to accept that it is possible, albeit in my judgement unlikely, that Mr Pearce was mistaken and therefore I cannot be satisfied to a criminal standard that the word ‘n****r’ was used and I therefore find Mr Forestieri not guilty as charged.”
Leaving court after his trial, Forestieri declined to comment on the not guilty verdict.
Sheffield Wednesday footballer Fernando Forestieri has been found not guilty of racially abusing an opposition player before a mass brawl. The 29-year-old striker was alleged to have called
Fernando Forestieri - Wikipedia
Sheffield Wednesday striker Fernando Forestieri found not guilty of racial abuse The Argentine striker had denied calling Mansfield defender Krystian Pearce a "n*****" during a pre-season friendly.
Sheffield Wednesday's Fernando Forestieri not guilty of
Sheffield Wednesday forward Fernando Forestieri has been found not guilty of racially abusing an opposition player before a mass brawl. The Owls striker, 29, was alleged to have called Mansfield
Sheffield Wednesday striker Fernando Forestieri found not
A footballer has been acquitted of racially abusing an opposition player before a mass brawl. Prosecutors had alleged Sheffield Wednesday's Fernando Forestieri insulted Mansfield Town's Krystian
Sheffield Wednesday striker found not guilty of racial abuse
Sheffield Wednesday footballer Fernando Forestieri has been found not guilty of racially abusing an opposition player. The Argentinian-born striker, 29, had denied calling Mansfield Town defender Krystian Pearce a "n*****" during a pre-season friendly on 24 July 2018. There was a "40-man brawl
Sheffield Wednesday striker Fernando Forestieri found not
Forestieri was accused of racially abusing opposition player Krystian Pearce in a pre-season friendly. He was charged by police, and on 28 December 2018, an arrest warrant was issued after Forestieri failed to attend court. He was found not guilty by a court in March 2019, but was charged with racial abuse by the Football Association.
Forestieri found not guilty of racial abuse during friendly
Sheffield Wednesday forward Fernando Forestieri has been found not guilty of racially abusing an opposition player before a mass brawl. The Owls striker, 29, was alleged to have called Mansfield defender Krystian Pearce 'a n****r' during a pre-season friendly at the One Call Stadium on July 24 last year because he was 'frustrated'.
Sheffield Wednesday footballer Fernando Forestieri found not
Sheffield Wednesday striker Fernando Forestieri has been found not guilty of racially abusing a Mansfield Town player before a mass brawl. The 29-year-old was alleged to have called Stags defender
Sheffield Wednesday striker Fernando Forestieri found not
Sheffield Wednesday footballer Fernando Forestieri found not
Sheffield Wednesday footballer Fernando Forestieri has been found not guilty of racially abusing an opposition player. The Argentinian-born striker, 29, had denied calling Mansfield Town defender
Sheffield Wednesday striker Fernando Forestieri found not
Forestieri found not guilty of racial abuse during friendly The Sheffield Wednesday striker was found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment by a district judge on Thursday.
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