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Chelsea fan is facing a possible jail sentence for posting anti-Semitic
tweets aimed at Tottenham supporters.
Nathan Blagg, 21, pleaded guilty to seven counts of sending offensive
messages at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday.
Prosecutor David Roberts said there was a "racially aggravated" element to
the offences between September 29, 2020 and February 5 this year because of
the "anti-Semitic nature of many of them".
The court heard that Blagg, described as a life-long Chelsea supporter,
posted images as well as tweeting and retweeting a number of offensive
messages.
Blagg, from Retford, Nottinghamshire, was reported by a West Brom fan before
his messages were investigated by the security team at Chelsea and passed on
to police.
He was arrested in February by officers from the Metropolitan Police Central
Football Unit, and charged by postal requisition.
Maeve Thornton, defending, said Blagg, who works in road construction, had
been at the time suffering from "low moods" because of the Covid-19
pandemic.
"He has got drawn into this in terms of a lack of awareness and
understanding of the impact this was going to have," she said.
"With hindsight, he now understands how wrong this is.
"He is indeed very remorseful and very apologetic and has taken steps to
address his offending by removing himself from Twitter.
"There is not going to be a repeat of this behaviour moving forward."
Magistrates adjourned sentencing until November 5 for reports to be prepared
and released Blagg on unconditional bail.
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