A man has been sentenced to 16 weeks in jail after pleading guilty to a racially charged assault of Manchester City midfielder Raheem Sterling.
Per ESPN, Karl Anderson, 29, pulled up beside Sterling in a van outside of Manchester City’s training ground, then got out and kicked Sterling multiple times while shouting racial epithets at him.
Carl Miles, prosecuting, said Anderson, who had been in the vehicle with his partner, began shouting racial abuse at Sterling and called him “you black Scouse c—.”
He said Anderson also told the footballer, “I hope your mother and child wake up dead in the morning, you n—–.”
Miles said, “He sets out kicking Mr. Sterling to the legs on four occasions.”
Anderson’s lawyer reportedly claimed in court that the assailant went after Sterling after his girlfriend asked him to get the midfielder’s autograph. The judge presiding over the case called it “an entirely unprovoked attack.”
Raheem Sterling's attacker, Karl Anderson kicked him four times, wished his wife and kids dead and hurled racist abuse at the #ManCity player. He smirked as he left the dock.
16 weeks in jail and £100 costs seems lenient.
— Jonny Gould (@jonnygould) December 20, 2017
Anderson apparently has a long history of criminal behavior, including 25 convictions for 37 offenses, at least one of which also involved soccer. According to ESPN, he once threw a flare at a police officer during a match.
Luckily, Sterling suffered only a sore hamstring in the attack, but it sounds as if he was justifiably shaken by the attack.
In a victim personal statement, which was read to the court, the footballer said he had been “completely shocked” by the incident.
He said, “I didn’t think this type of behaviour still happened in this country in this day and age.”
Needless to say, soccer players shouldn’t have to watch through the streets worrying that strangers will assault them over their race.
[ESPN]
