Tottenham fan Averof Panteli who threw banana at Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fined £500 as magistrates rule it was targeted racist incident

The football fan has also been banned from matches for four years
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A Tottenham fan who threw a banana skin at Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the North London derby has been fined £500 after magistrates ruled it was a targeted racist incident.

Van driver Averof Panteli, 57, claims he picked up the peel in anger from the floor and threw it after the Gabon-born striker had opened the scoring.

He was caught on CCTV holding the banana skin and ejected from the Emirates Stadium, but told police afterwards he had not meant to racially abuse the player.

But Mervyn Mandell, sitting Highbury Corner magistrates court this morning, rejected Panteli's claim that it was not a racist incident.

"It was a deliberate action and we find it was a targeted gesture to throw a banana skin after a goal was scored by a black player", he said.

A banana thrown from the crowd is seen at the side of the pitch as Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates after scoring the opening goal at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 2
Ian Kington/IKIMAGES/AFP

Panteli, who is of Greek Cypriot heritage, maintained he only threw the banana skin as it was the closest item to hand, having been dropped by a child sitting nearby.

"That happened to be a banana skin but it could have been a plastic cup or an apple core", said his lawyer Leila Rasool.

"The player in question who scored the penalty has not made a statement to say he felt it was directed at him and it was racially abusive.

"We have not heard from him, and there is footage of him following the match celebrating with his teammates - there's no victim here."

Led away: Averof Panteli is escorted from the stands by an Arsenal steward
Graham Chadwick/Daily Mail

Ms Rasool said Panteli has received death threats in the wake of publicity of the December 2 incident, and found it "abhorrent and distressing that he has been branded a racist".

"Feelings ran high in this match and Mr Panteli is very passionate about his sport. In a fit of anger, and it really was a spur of the moment thing, he picked up the closest article to him and that happened to be a banana skin", she added.

Magistrates ordered Panteli to pay a £500 fine, which was increased by £100 because of the racial dimension, and imposed a four-year banning order from all football matches.

Prosecutor Tom Gill had told the court he believed it was a racist incident: "It was a banana directed at an Arsenal player who is black."

Ms Rasool said a bundle of 50 character witnesses had come forward to support Panteli since the incident.

Panteli, who has been a Spurs supporter since the age of seven, has already been given a lifetime ban by the club and said he has apologised.

Also in court this morning was Arsenal fan Charlie Watts, 27, who threw a plastic bottle towards celebrating Spurs players during the same match.

He admitted hurling the empty green bottle "in frustration" when Eric Dier scored an equaliser and then goaded the home fans at the Emirates Stadium by putting his finger to his lips.

After his arrest, Watts complained to police: "So he's allowed to dance around in front of us and I can't do nothing, just because he's paid £80,000-a-week?"

Watts, a film set decorator from St Albans, also pleaded guilty to throwing a missile on to a football playing area.

He was given a three-year football banning order and was ordered to pay a £650 fine as well as £150 in court costs and fees.

"One of the players celebrated in front of the home fans where the defendant was sat, and the defendant was identified as throwing a green object towards the pitch while the players celebrated", said Mr Gill.

Watts admitted to police he had been drinking and said the incident was "stupidness, really".

His lawyer, Steven Pidcock, told the court "emotions were running high" and he blamed the players for stoking the tense atmosphere.

"The Tottenham player motioned for the home crowd to shush, and there was a scuffle between him and two Arsenal players", he said.

"The players were squabbling and not setting a good example to the fans."

Mr Pidcock added: "When the players behave in a way like that, it doesn't assist football matches to be calm, nice places to be."

Panteli, from Norwich, was also ordered to pay £135 in court costs and fees as part of his sentence.

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