A High Wycombe man hurled racist abuse at a football stadium steward after he was asked to stop smoking inside the ground. 

Nathan Birkett, 26, has been banned from attending football matches for three years after racially abusing a steward at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford during a football match between Oxford United and Wycombe Wanderers on September 11 last year. 

Birkett, of Amersham Hill, was in the away section when he started smoking inside the football stadium. 

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A steward spotted him sparking up and asked him to stop, but he was racially abused. 

Birkett was thrown out of the stadium and handed over to police. 

At Oxford Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, May 3, Birkett pleaded guilty to a Section 4a public order offence and was given a community order, made to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work, pay £100 compensation and £40 in court costs. 

He was also given a three-year football banning order. 

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Dedicated Football Officer, PC Jonathan Evans, said: “The victim in the case was working as a steward for Oxford United and Birkett racially abused him for simply doing his job.

“I welcome the court imposing a three-year Football Banning Order on Birkett and I would like to thank Oxford United and Wycombe Wanderers for their assistance in the investigation.

“Football matches should be a safe place for all people and Thames Valley Police will always deal with discrimination at football matches seriously and apply for Football Banning Orders where appropriate.”