Football fan given banning order for homophobic abuse

A man has been handed a three-year football banning order for shouting homophobic abuse at a Birmingham City game in December last year (2024). Steven Quig admitted at court to shouting homophobic abuse at the Birmingham City vs Burton Albion game on Boxing Day last year. The 45-year-old pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Thursday 24th April 2025, and as a result was handed a three-year banning order from football.

In connection with a past hate crime offence, Quig, a Burton Albion fan, was previously offered an education course, provided by Kick It Out, which he completed, and signed an acceptable behaviour contract with Burton Albion in September last year.

He did not, however, stick to the acceptable behaviour contract, and was arrested 26th December 2024, after an officer and a steward witnessed him shouting homophobic abuse inside the ground. He was later charged with a public order offence of using threatening or abusive words likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

PC Stuart Ward - who was appointed the UK's first dedicated hate crime officer within a football unit - said: "There is no place for discrimination within football, and society in general, and Quig has quite rightly been banned from football.

"His behaviour was offensive, and unacceptable. We need victims to report what has happened and with the support of the wider public we can bring those responsible to justice.

"Quig should feel embarrassed by what he did, and hopefully this will make him and others realise that such appalling behaviour will not be tolerated."