Semenyo 'froze' after alleged racial abuse at Anfield, court hears; trial adjourned
A Liverpool fan, Mark Mogan, denies racially aggravated behaviour towards Antoine Semenyo at Anfield in August 2025. The prosecution opened its case at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, but the trial was paused when Mogan was taken to hospital.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard on Wednesday 14 October 2026 that footballer Antoine Semenyo "froze" after allegedly being racially abused by Liverpool fan Mark Mogan, 47, at Anfield. BBC NewsN “Footballer Antoine Semenyo "froze" after he was allegedly racially abused by a Liverpool fan during a Premier League match at Anfield, a court has heard.” Read at BBC News ↗ Evening StandardN “Semenyo, who was then playing for Bournemouth, was allegedly racially abused by Mark Mogan, 47, as he went to take a throw-in” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 2The alleged incident happened about 30 minutes into the opening match of the Premier League season, on 15 August 2025, when Semenyo was playing for Bournemouth; Semenyo now plays for Manchester City. Evening StandardN “about 30 minutes into the opening match of the Premier League season on August 15 last year.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ BBC NewsN “The Manchester City winger, who was playing for Bournemouth at the time” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1Prosecutor Simon Jones said Semenyo saw Mogan, a wheelchair user, to the right and heard the shout: "Hurry up and take the throw-in, you black bastard." Evening StandardN “Hurry up and take the throw-in, you black bastard.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Centre · 1Jones said Mogan then shouted "I'm talking to you" followed by a further insult, and that Semenyo "briefly froze as he couldn't believe what the male had said", did not respond and took the throw-in, but was "clearly hurt and upset". Evening StandardN “Mogan then shouted “I’m talking to you, you c***”, the court heard.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Evening StandardN “Antoine Semenyo didn’t say anything back to him and went to take the throw-in. However, he was clearly hurt and upset” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 2The court heard Semenyo reported the incident to referee Anthony Taylor when the ball next went out of play, and that Mogan was removed from the stadium at half-time. BBC NewsN “reported the incident to referee Anthony Taylor when the ball next went out of play” Read at BBC News ↗ Evening StandardN “Mogan was removed from the stadium at half time, the court was told.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Two short video clips were shown in court, in which Jones said Mogan appeared "agitated and angry"; he said witnesses saw Mogan take chewing gum from the mouth and throw it at Semenyo, hitting the right side of the shorts, which he called "plainly an unsavoury action from an angry man". Evening StandardN “Two short video clips of the incident were shown to the court, in which Mr Jones said the defendant could be seen in an “agitated and angry state”.”“We say that was plainly an unsavoury action from an angry man.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Centre · 2A statement from fellow Liverpool fan Neil Sherratt, who sits next to Mogan at matches, said Mogan left the disabled section of the Main Stand and approached the pitch, shouted something like "hurry up", and that Semenyo looked shocked and, Sherratt believed, replied "you what". Evening StandardN “Semenyo had a shocked look on his face and I believe he has replied back by saying: ‘You what?'” Read at Evening Standard ↗ BBC NewsN “Liverpool supporter Neil Sherratt, who sits next to Mogan at matches” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1Another fan, Nicholas Collins, said Mogan became "very cocky and brazen" afterwards and said that if police came, "I'm going to deck them". Evening StandardN “If the bizzies (police) come I’m going to deck them. I’m not going anywhere.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 2Mogan, who had an intermediary in court, told police the next day that he had shouted at Semenyo to "hurry up", claimed Semenyo called him a "cripple" which upset him, and said he threw chewing gum onto the floor, not at Semenyo; the prosecution says he lied in that interview. Evening StandardN ““His account was that Antoine Semenyo called him a cripple, which upset him,”” Read at Evening Standard ↗ BBC NewsN “Jones told the court the prosecution's case was that Mogan had lied during his police interview.” Read at BBC News ↗
Centre · 2Mogan, of Templehill Close, Dovecot, denies racially aggravated behaviour. Evening StandardN “Mogan, of Templehill Close, Dovecot, denies racially aggravated behaviour.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ BBC NewsN “Mogan, of Dovecot, Liverpool, denies racially aggravated behaviour.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1Semenyo was due to give evidence by videolink on Wednesday afternoon, having had a work commitment in the morning, but Mogan, who the court previously heard has cerebral palsy, suffered a seizure in the lunch break and was taken to hospital by ambulance. Evening StandardN “Mogan, who the court previously heard has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, suffered a seizure in the lunch break of proceedings and was taken to hospital by ambulance.”“having had a work commitment which prevented him from appearing in the morning” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1District Judge Mary Dowrick refused an application to continue the trial in Mogan's absence, and the trial is expected to resume at a later date. Evening StandardN “An application to proceed with the trial in his absence was refused by District Judge Mary Dowrick.”“The trial is expected to continue at a later date.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Straight court reporting of the prosecution opening, led by the 'froze' quote, with the Evening Standard later adding the adjournment after Mogan was taken ill.
- Emphasis
- Prosecution quotes, witness statements from Sherratt and Collins, Mogan's police interview account, and the hospital adjournment.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither outlet had Semenyo's evidence or the defence case, as the trial paused before then. The BBC's version softens the slur to 'a racist insult'; the Standard quotes it in full.
- Charged language
- “froze”“unsavoury action from an angry man”“very cocky and brazen”
- For example
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“Mr Semenyo briefly froze as he couldn’t believe what the male had said.” — Evening Standard
“Mark Mogan, 47, allegedly shouted a racist insult at him on 15 August 2025.” — BBC News
“An application to proceed with the trial in his absence was refused by District Judge Mary Dowrick.” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Mark Mogan, 47, of Dovecot, denies racially aggravated behaviour.
- The alleged incident was at Anfield on 15 August 2025, about 30 minutes into Bournemouth's match, as Semenyo went to take a throw-in.
- Prosecutor Simon Jones told Liverpool Magistrates' Court that Semenyo 'briefly froze'.
- Mogan told police he shouted 'hurry up' and said he threw chewing gum on the floor, not at Semenyo; the prosecution says he lied.
Where accounts differ
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What was said and thrown at Semenyo
- Centre
- The prosecution says Mogan shouted a racial slur and threw chewing gum at Semenyo. Mogan denies the charge, says Semenyo called him a 'cripple', and says the gum went on the floor, not at Semenyo. These are allegations in a trial not yet concluded.
Mark Mogan person
Denies racially aggravated behaviour. Per the prosecution's account of the police interview, says he shouted 'hurry up', that Semenyo called him a 'cripple', and that the chewing gum was thrown on the floor, not at Semenyo.
““His account was that Antoine Semenyo called him a cripple, which upset him,” Mr Jones said.” — Evening Standard
“Mogan, of Templehill Close, Dovecot, denies racially aggravated behaviour.” — Evening Standard
Antoine Semenyo person
As described by prosecutors, was shocked, hurt and upset, did not respond, and reported the abuse to the referee. Expected to give evidence by videolink; that did not happen on Wednesday.
“Prosecutors said Semenyo was "clearly hurt and upset" and reported the incident to referee Anthony Taylor” — BBC News
“Semenyo, who now plays for Manchester City, had been due to give evidence over a videolink” — Evening Standard
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre3 articles
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Footballer Antoine Semenyo ‘froze’ after racial abuse at Anfield, court told
Neutral Detailed account of the prosecution opening and witness statements, with the slur quoted in full.
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Semenyo 'froze' after alleged racist abuse, court told
Neutral Concise report using 'alleged' throughout and describing the slur only as a racist insult.
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Liverpool fan accused of racial abuse taken to hospital during trial
Neutral Leads on Mogan's seizure and hospital admission and the refused application to continue, then repeats the prosecution evidence.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 14 Oct 13:38 First Evening StandardN Footballer Antoine Semenyo ‘froze’ after racial abuse at Anfield, court told
- 14 Oct 15:16 +1h 37m BBC NewsN Semenyo 'froze' after alleged racist abuse, court told
- 14 Oct 15:19 +1h 40m Evening StandardN Liverpool fan accused of racial abuse taken to hospital during trial
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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