Antoine Semenyo briefly “froze” after allegedly being racially abused by a Liverpool supporter during a Premier League match at Anfield, a court has heard.
The Manchester City winger, who was playing for Bournemouth at the time, was preparing to take a throw-in when Mark Mogan allegedly directed a racist insult at him on 15 August 2025.
Mogan, 47, from Dovecot, Liverpool, denies racially aggravated behaviour. Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard he allegedly shouted the abuse about 30 minutes into the opening fixture of the Premier League season.
Prosecutor Simon Jones said Semenyo was “clearly hurt and upset” by what had been said.
“Mr Semenyo briefly froze as he couldn’t believe what the male had said,” Jones told the court.
The footballer was said to have reported the incident to referee Anthony Taylor when the ball next went out of play. The court heard Mogan then shouted further abuse, while Semenyo did not respond and continued with the throw-in.
Mogan was removed from the stadium at half-time, the court was told.
Two short video clips were shown during the hearing. Jones described Mogan as being in an “agitated and angry state” and said witnesses had seen him throw chewing gum towards Semenyo, striking the right-hand side of the player’s shorts.
Witness accounts
Liverpool supporter Neil Sherratt, who sits beside Mogan at matches, said in a statement read to the court that he saw Mogan move towards the pitch from the disabled section of the Main Stand.
Sherratt said he heard Mogan say something along the lines of “hurry up” before Semenyo turned towards him. He described the player as appearing shocked and believed he responded: “you what”.
Another Liverpool fan, Nicholas Collins, told the court Mogan became “very cocky and brazen” after the incident. Collins also said Mogan threatened to assault police officers if they came towards him.
Mogan, who uses a wheelchair and had an intermediary with him in court, told police in an interview the following day that he had shouted at Semenyo to hurry up.
He claimed Semenyo had called him “a cripple”, which he said had caused him upset. Mogan also told police he had thrown the chewing gum on to the floor, rather than at the player.
Jones said the prosecution’s case was that Mogan had lied during his police interview.
Semenyo, who was born in London to Ghanaian parents and has represented Ghana at the World Cup, is expected to give evidence by videolink.
The trial continues.
