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A man charged with making racist "monkey" gestures at Manchester United captain Patrice Evra claims his gesture was a jibe that labelled fans as "Neanderthal" cave men.
Philip Gannon, 58, was filmed on TV cameras apparently aiming abuse at the French defender during Liverpool's FA Cup tie with Manchester United in January at Anfield on 28th January.
According to another supporter, who gave witness evidence, Gannon, from North Wales, shouted insulting comments at disabled Manchester United fans.
Mr Samual Inman told Liverpool Magistrates Court how he saw and heard Gannon, of Heol Meirion, Barnmouth, hurling abuse including calling wheelchair bound fans "f***ing spastic mutants".
Mr Inman, who attended the game with his father John, was sat behind Gannon and said his actions shocked him.
He said: "in the second half of the game, there was an incident where, towards the disabled fans, he shouted 'fuck off you spastic mutants'.
"Pikey bastards was nothing I hadn't heard before as it goes on at football matches.
"the comments to the disabled fans were what shocked me the most. There's just no need for it.
Another fan close to Gannon, David McGuire, claimed he heard him insult Evra in French.
He said: "I heard the defendant saying: 'tu est petit noir homme merde' which I took to mean 'you are a little black shit man."
Gannon denies the claim, saying that he does not know any French.
The Liverpool FC fan is pleading not guilty to a racially-aggravated public order offence and using threatening or anti-social behaviour causing harrasment, alarm or distress.
Father-of-five Gannon denied Mr Inman's claims but admitted calling Manchester United fans "pikey t***s", but said he did not realise what the phrase actually meant.
He also claimed that he was imitating a caveman - not making a monkey gesture - as he was calling Manchester United fans "Neanderthals".
Ganon, acts as a carer for his disabled sister, said: "I am not racist. I was just giving the fans a bit of stick at the end of the game.
"There was banter between the two teams and they were giving us stick as well about Hillsborough."
Malik Alam, who attended the game with Gannon, said: "He was not doing a monkey gesture. He was doing a sort of caveman dance."
Alam, who is of Asian origin, said: "Phil is definitely not racist. He has black grandkids and wouldn't be friends with me if he was.
"I wouldn't stand for him saying anything racist or making any racist gestures, but I know he is not like that."
Gannon, who has mixed-race grandchildren, also denied making gestures and singing songs about the Munich Air Disaster.
Prosecuting solicitor Mr Rob Girvan quizzed Gannon in the witness box and put it to him: "Making that gesture, you showed your racial hostility quite blatantly.
"Anyone seeing that image would come to the conclusion that it is a monkey gesture."
Standing in the witness box in court number 10 in Victoria Street, the former carpenter and joiner re-enacted the gesture.
Holding his hands down by his sides he acted out the scene and claimed that he was making a display like a cave man.
Gannon, 58 said: "I am not a racist. I did not say anything to Patrice Evra or any other players.
"I was just giving the fans a bit of stick at the end of the game. I told them to get back in their caves and did the neanderthal at them.
"There was banter between the two teams and they were giving us stick as well about Hillsborough."
Antother fan David McGuire, said he was seated close to Gannon, and claimed he heard him insult Patrice Evra in French.
Water main layer Mr McGuire said: "I heard the defendant saying 'tu est petit noir homme merde' which I took to mean 'you are a little black shit man'.
"I turned to my friend next to me and said 'Look, he's trying to abuse him in French'.
"My friend then said to Mr Gannon 'You can't even abuse someone in French.'
"Mr Gannon then replied 'My Spanish teacher Mr Gomez taught me that...' "
But Gannon denied the exchange happened.
Question by defence solicitor Rob Girvan, Gannon said: "I don't know a Mr Gomez. I don't have a Spanish teacher and I don't speak Spanish or French."
Sam Inman, who attended the game with his father John, was seated behind Gannon at Anfield for the Liverpool v M Utd game on 28th January 2012.
Sam Inman said: "In the second half of the game, there was an incident where, towards the disabled fans, he shouted 'f**k off you spastic mutants'.
"Pikey bastards was nothing I hadn't heard before as it goes on at football matches.
"The comments to the disabled fans were what shocked me the most. There's just no need for it."
The case was adjourned until Friday 22nd June (tomorrow).
