Ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne is set to be charged with racially aggravated abuse over a comment he allegedly made during a stage show. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) initially declined to charge him following the show at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 30 November. That decision was later overturned after a request to review evidence. Mr Gascoigne, 49, has been issued with a summons to appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court on 17 June. Under the Victims Right to Review, a legal decision could be challenged by a victim or complainant, a CPS spokesperson said. This was implemented to charge Mr Gascoigne for a "joke" he made during the Evening with Gazza show, the spokesperson added. The Express & Star reported the complaint centred on a remark the ex-England international is said to have made about a black security guard who was in a darkened part of the stage, about whom Mr Gascoigne allegedly said he could not tell "if he was smiling or not". The former Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspurs, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton midfielder, who retired from football in 2004, has openly spoken about his struggles with mental health and battles with alcoholism. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ****ing stupid if you ask me.
Harmless joke. Racism is all about context in my opinion. This was not a racist incident and it definitely isn't worthy of police time.
Yes. That was actually the word I was lookin for. People need to remember that Gazza is as harmless as a feather (except to himself). Race should not be off limits on terms of humour. In fact I think humour could help bring down certain barriers that still exist. Then again, I'm not some easily offended flower who gives a ****.
We live in a decent country, mate. I feel slightly embarrassed when we still have to talk about it as a society, as though it's still an issue, in this country. It's not. I'm not denying they'll be a few 'proper racists' about, but I certainly don't know any, or know of any.
There are some areas, no doubt. The country, in general is much better than everywhere else though with regards to race relations. I've never encountered any issues in my adult life and I have lived all over the country.
I'm fat. I know I'm fat. Jokes have been made and to be honest, I don't mind them. It also allows me to retaliate in kind, which I do - baldie / skinny/ etc. What I want to know is; Was the bouncer smiling or not (or am I being non-pc calling him a "bouncer" and not a "security guard")? x
This is a shameful waste and as Rafa said, Gazza is not that kind of guy, its a shame when we have to be so PC about everything we say. Leave the guy alone, he has enough on his plate just getting from one day to the next
The people that press these charges are the type who live in big houses with security fences, and who know nothing about real life. They act outraged over the use of language in order to justify their lamentable existences. The bloke has enough problems without having to defend himself against these tossers.
