A 16 week prison sentence has been slapped on Karl Anderson, the man who racially abused and assaulted Jamaican-born England winger Raheem Sterling last Saturday.
Anderson pleaded guilty to racially aggravated common assault after Sterling was attacked as he arrived at City’s Etihad complex before Saturday’s match against Tottenham, in which Sterling scored twice.
Salford Magistrates’ Court heard Anderson had kicked and shouted racial abuse at the 23-year-old England international.
Karl Anderson sentenced to 16 weeks
Anderson has 25 previous convictions for 37 offences, including throwing a flare at a police officer during a football match.
The court was shown CCTV of the 29 year old driving his van alongside Sterling’s vehicle as the player waited to enter the training ground on Saturday.
Both men then got out of their vehicles and Anderson walked towards Sterling.
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 added: ‘He then approached Sterling bouncing on the balls of his feet as if to start to a fight.
‘He kicked him to the left hamstring but left no bruises.
Anderson then ran to his white van and reversed back down the road he had entered the complex through while Sterling shouted back at him.
Manchester City training ground
The court heard Sterling’s left hamstring was sore after the attack but he did not suffer serious injuries.
Sentencing, chairman of the bench Diana Webb-Hobson said: ‘This was an entirely unprovoked attack. You stopped your car and you got out.
‘The personal statement was very moving, we find injury was sustained.
‘Your previous record was appalling, you don’t seem to learn anything, do you?’
In a victim personal statement, which was read to the court, Sterling 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.”