Everton fan, 32, admits racially abusing Liverpool star Mo Salah with vile tweet showing a mocked-up picture of the midfielder wearing a suicide vest
- Gary Hyland posted an image of the Muslim sportsman during a Twitter debate
- The 32-year-old sent a vile image of the Egyptian winger at 3.40am on Tuesday
- Showed Salah donning a super-imposed suicide vest and detonator in his hand
- Liverpool Magistrates Court released him on bail ahead of sentencing this month
An Everton fan has admitted to racially abusing Liverpool star Mo Salah with a vile tweet showing a mocked-up picture of the footballer wearing a suicide vest.
Gary Hyland posted an image of the Muslim sportsman donning a super-imposed explosive device and a pressure point detonator in his hand on Twitter.
The 32-year-old sent the image of the Egyptian winger at 3.40am in the early hours of Tuesday during an online debate with Liverpool fans.
He tweeted: ‘Ha ha ha, so what if Salah is a Muslim? You don’t see us [Everton] praying to Allah at half time! It’s nothing to do with Salah.’
Gary Hyland, 32, hides his head in tracksuit bottoms as he leaves Liverpool Magistrates Court this afternoon
Hyland posted an image of the Muslim sportsman donning a super-imposed explosive device and a pressure point detonator in his hand on Twitter
Liverpool Magistrates Court heard that police officers arrived at 9.20am on Thursday to arrest Hyland, who told them: ‘I know I will get charged, it was me.’
When officers asked for his mobile phone, he claimed to not know where it was until one PC pointed out it was on the sofa.
When he was taken to Wirral custody suite he became obstructive and threatened to kick and spit at officers, magistrates heard.
The Everton fan has admitted to racially abusing Liverpool star Mo Salah (pictured)
Appearing in court today, he confessed to sending the racially aggravated tweet intended to cause distress and also to obstructing an officer.
Representing him, defence agent Danielle Gibbons asked for him to be bailed pending a report.
But prosecutor Sophie Layland opposed this. She said: ‘The crown believe there are substantial grounds to believe the defendant will commit further offences on bail.
‘He will have full access to social media, he has not provided police access to his phone.
‘He said there is another picture on his phone of people of Muslim faith praying at Anfield.
‘Should the defendant be bailed there are a number of risks to his own protection.’
Magistrate Holcroft released him on unconditional bail and said the condition to stay off social media was unenforceable.
Hyland will return to court on August 30 to be sentenced.
The 32-year-old sent the image of the Egyptian winger at 3.40am in the early hours of Tuesday during an online debate with Liverpool fans