Man sentenced for throwing banana at soccer player

A Limerick football fan who carried out what a judge said was the lowest form of racial taunt when throwing a banana at a black player was yesterday ordered to do 240 hours of community work, or face eight months in jail.

Kelvin Reynolds, aged 20, of Pinewood Avenue, Caherdavin, admitted at Limerick District Court to a breach of public order, by throwing the banana at a player and assaulting a garda sergeant at Thomond Park last August when Limerick FC played host to Manchester City.

Judge Eugene O’Kelly told Reynolds, a Manchester United fan: “Save for acting like a monkey, throwing a banana was the lowest taunt.”

The incident caused an international storm on social media and the intended target, French international Gael Clichy, tweeted at the time: “How sad.”

Sgt Donal Cronin told the court that Reynolds had 65 previous convictions.

Sarah Ryan, solicitor for Reynolds, said the incident had received international media coverage. Reynolds got drunk at the game. While he threw the banana, her client did not mean it in a racial way and was sorry if Gael Clichy saw it like that.

In evidence, Reynolds said he was sorry to the people of Limerick for his stupid, drunken act.

He read about the reaction to his action in the newspapers and wanted the matter over and done with.

Reynolds, a father of one, said: “I understand the upset. It caused a big incident for Limerick at the time.”

He had apologised to the garda sergeant.

Judge O’Kelly said it would be very hard for Mr Clichy to interpret the incident in any other way than being racially motivated.

Recalling that Reynolds took the banana from a child during the game, he said it seemed an extraordinary coincidence he did not take an apple or an orange.

Judge O’Kelly said he was in no doubt but Reynolds knew what he was doing when he threw the banana at a player who was not Caucasian.

He imposed two sentences totalling eight months for the public order and assault offences, suspending them in lieu of Reynolds carrying out 240 hours community service.