A LIFELONG Huddersfield Town supporter has been banned from football matches – after performing a Nazi salute directed at Leeds fans.

Gareth Smith, of Grosvenor Road, Dalton, was caught on camera performing the gesture during the game at the John Smith’s Stadium last December.

The 28-year-old also hurled anti-Semitic abuse towards some members of the crowd.

He admitted a charge of religiously aggravated disorderly conduct when he appeared before Kirklees magistrates.

His prosecution was welcomed by the Huddersfield club, which condemned his ‘unacceptable’ behaviour.

Magistrates were told that the incident happened during Town’s local derby game with Leeds United on December 1.

Vanessa Schofield, prosecuting, said that the Leeds fans included a group of four Jewish men.

One of the men had been in touch with Town prior to the match to voice his concerns about previous incidents of racist chanting.

Two of the men, including Adam Gold, sat in the home fans section because they could only get tickets there.

Ms Schofield said: “He was shocked by the chants he heard from the Huddersfield fans.

“He heard ‘Billy Bremner is a blue, he hates Yids’ and this was repeated over and over again.”

The witnesses also heard ‘Jimmy Savile is a Yid’ chanted towards them, the court was told.

Magistrates heard that 15 fans made a Nazi salute, including Smith, who was captured on camera in the stance by a spectator.

Mr Gold told how he felt so exposed that he had to move to the back of the stand during the second half.

Another witness, Adam Cristal, said that he felt ‘disgusted’ by the gesture.

Ms Schofield said: “He said ‘it’s a direct reference to a dictator responsible for the deaths of over six million Jewish people’.

“‘Doing the salute is just senseless’.”

The witnesses complained about the behaviour of Smith, a father-of-two, and he was arrested.

In interview he admitted to putting ‘my arm up and my other arm across my mouth to look like a moustache’.

Ms Schofield said: “He said that it was drunken loudness, that he knew he [Hitler] was a German who didn’t like Jews.”

The prosecutor described Smith’s actions as provocative.

She said: “It’s important to consider this, particularly at this moment when it’s currently in the news about the Holocaust.

“The provocation was quite serious and could have resulted in a more serious scenario.”

Cheryl Ford, mitigating, said that Smith had been attending Town games since the age of eight.

On the day of the match Smith had knocked back around eight pints with friends before arriving at the Leeds Road ground.

Ms Ford said that there was an atmosphere between fans and that half-an-hour before the game anti-Jewish chants started going around.

She said that her client was unfortunate in being the ‘last one standing’ in making the gesture and that alerted the stewards and then police.

Ms Ford said: “He’s gone along with the crowd, he was in drink.

“There’s no excuse for such an action, especially in today’s climate when policy is to stamp out racism in football.

“He’s seen this as a bit of football banter that he was joining in with, but he’s very regretful of what he did that day.”

Ms Ford added that the life of her client, who had no previous convictions, was centred around football.

Magistrates told Smith that his actions were ‘highly inflammatory’ and went beyond the banter expected.

They issued him with a football banning order for three years.

Included in the order is a ban on attending any regulated matches either in the UK or abroad.

On the days Town play at home, Smith is also banned from going within half-a-mile of the stadium three hours before or after kick off, or entering any licensed premises during this time.

Magistrates also fined him £130 and told him to pay £85 costs and £20 victim surcharge.

Nigel Clibbens, Town’s chief executive, said that the club ‘strongly condemned’ racist behaviour.

He added: “This incident was totally unacceptable.

“Even though it was thankfully isolated, it still damages our club and our fans’ reputation and undermines the good work we do across the community.

“We offered our full co-operation to West Yorkshire Police throughout and we are delighted that a conclusion has been reached.

“We welcome the fact that this individual has been prosecuted and punished for his actions.

“The club is a staunch supporter of the One Game, One Community campaign and Kick It Out and there is absolutely no place at Huddersfield Town – or anywhere else in society – for racist behaviour of any kind.”

Supt David Lunn, of Kirklees Police, said: “We welcome the conviction of Gareth Smith in court for his provocative and distressing behaviour during the game which clearly caused great offence.

“The conviction sends a strong message that such behaviour will not be tolerated by either Huddersfield Town or West Yorkshire Police.

“We work closely with the football club to tackle abusive behaviour and the consequences for those caught can be severe and long term.”