A TEENAGER could face a ban from football matches after he shouted insults during a Southend United game.

Ben Goodwin, 18, was charged with using threatening, absuive, or insulting behaviour following the home game against Colchester on Boxing Day.

He pleaded guilty to the offence at Southend Magistrates’ Court, but said he would contest a banning order.

Bob Rowlingson, prosecuting, said: “Mr Goodwin was seen with a group of friends making obscene and offensive hand gestures towards the supporters of Colchester United.

“That was recorded on CCTV. Mr Goodwin and his friends were warned on a number of occasions about that behaviour, bearing in mind the nature of the crowd and families around him.”

Mr Rowlingson told the court when the teenager was arrested and interviewed, he said to police: “There were 2,000 Colchester supporters doing it to me, so I did it back to them. What was I supposed to do?”

Alan Hurst, mitigating, said his client was previously of good character and was studying to become a plumber.

Goodwin, of Gravesend, Kent, was given a £150 fine, £15 victim surcharge, and ordered to pay £105 costs.

He will reappear at the court on March 4 to contest a football banning order.

Until then, he has been released on bail on condition he does not go within a mile of Blues’ ground Roots Hall on any day Southend United are playing, for four hours before kick-off and four hours after the final whistle.

He also must not enter any town or city where the Blues are playing a match and cannot go into any pubs in Southend on days when the club are playing.