Sheffield Wednesday fan who mocked death of young Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery spared jail but handed football banning order

Dale Houghton, 31, was charged with a public order offence after he googled a picture of Lowery, who died suffering from cancer back in 2017 aged just six, during a match at Hillsborough back on September 29 to taunt Sunderland fans. He pleaded to the public order offence and received a 12-week suspended custody, a five-year football stadium ban, and 200 hours of unpaid work. He expressed "deep remorse, certainly to Bradley Lowery’s family as well as to the general public" for his unthoughtful actions while having 'standard football banter' with the opposition fans.

The judge criticized Houghton's actions as utterly appalling, acknowledging the trauma inflicted on Bradley Lowery's family and said: "Your behaviour was disgraceful. You caused trauma to an already traumatised and grieving family.”

However, Judge Waite spared him a jail term as he believed that the offender was genuinely sorry and had suffered enough after he was kicked out of two jobs for his actions.

Lowery was made a mascot for Sunderland and later for the England national team to honour his struggle against neuroblastoma and love for the sport. He raised more than £1 million for charity while Sheffield Wednesday fans also organized a fundraising campaign for the Bradley Lowery Foundation, supporting affected families as an act of solidarity for the Sunderland supporters against Houghton's actions.

Houghton's sentencing highlights the consequences of inappropriate fan behaviour which could potentially lead to stadium bans. Lowery was close to former Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe who hailed the kid as "one of the most inspirational children this world has ever seen" and addressed him as "best friend forever."