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Thursday, February 09 2012

Exclusive: Millwall fan Gary O'Neill cleared over 'pikey' chanting at Priestfield

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Millwall fan Gary O'Neill with a 'Pure Pikey' t-shirt.by Mary Graham and Lynn Cox

A fan who shouted "pikey"  at a Gillingham player has been cleared of racial abuse.

Millwall supporter Gary O'Neill ended up behind bars during his team's 2-0 defeat  at Priestfield last September.

As a player fell, Mr O'Neill had shouted "get up you pikey...." and then a swear word. He was arrested and led away in handcuffs.

The 49-year-old kitchen fitter, who once played for the Gills' youth team, then began a five-month battle to clear his name.

Medway magistrates threw out the case after hearing that for years some Gills fans have referred to themselves as "the pikey army" or "pure pikey".

Mr O'Neill's solicitor produced a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Gillingham - Pure Pikey".

Mr O'Neill, from Maidstone, has decribed his prosecution as a complete waste of time and money.

Police have defended the decision to charge him.

For the full story pick up a copy of the Medway Messenger or Kent Messenger newspaper.

  • Let us know what you think via the comments section below.

Friday, March 05 2010

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Comments (17)

Comments closed

  • boyogill wrote:

    Banter

    Whilst I agree totally that Mr. O'Neill's arrest was ridiculous, and there's nothing racist about what he said, I'm dubious about comments like "When you go to watch football all the people shout at the players it's only BANTER".
    Whilst this case clearly is just banter, I think it's dangerous to assume that anything can be shouted because it's football and it can all just be laughed off as 'banter'. There is still a line.

    Similarly..."Shouting out a comment at a football ground does not make one a racist". Well, if it's a racist comment then yes it does.

    Anyway, that's off the original point. Good to see that he's rightly been cleared.

    09 Mar 2010 12:51 PM

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  • smilerbaker wrote:

    Pikey isn't a race!

    You know 'pikey' isn't a race, its a lifestyle choice, so calling someone a pikey can't be racist.

    08 Mar 2010 4:15 PM

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  • TERRY/ROCHESTER wrote:

    UP THE SOUTH LONDON!

    I couldn't believe what I was reading in the local paper Friday evening and hate to think how much money this has cost us what do they expect at the football, I've met Gary a few times and he's a top bloke and he raises money every year for the local children's charity's, Chin up Gary..

    08 Mar 2010 1:54 PM

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  • Alan wrote:

    Its only racist if you are a traveller

    Had the comment been directed at a member of the travelling community the saying "Pikey" would have been racist. In that case I would have to support the Police and the CPS.

    I assume that Mr O'Neill's DNA will be returned to him as per the recent European court ruling. Of course Kent police won't because then don't agree with the Court. Just like they don't agree with the Court in Mr O'Neill's case and they will continue arresting people illegally for their quite legal outbursts and illegally retaining DNA they have no right too.

    08 Mar 2010 11:54 AM

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  • Alan wrote:

    Its only racist if you are a traveller

    Had the comment been directed at a member of the travelling community the saying "Pikey" would have been racist. In that case I would have to support the Police and the CPS.

    I assume that Mr O'Neill's DNA will be returned to him as per the recent European court ruling. Of course Kent police won't because then don't agree with the Court. Just like they don't agree with the Court in Mr O'Neill's case and they will continue arresting people illegally for their quite legal outbursts and illegally retaining DNA they have no right too.

    08 Mar 2010 11:14 AM

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  • Neel Dakshy wrote:

    Chris Pannell

    Godwin's Law!

    06 Mar 2010 1:08 PM

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  • Danny wrote:

    Pikey

    The term/phrase 'Pikey' is decribed quite adequately at:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pikey

    Now then, I wear spectacles...so if someone call me 'Four Eyes; can I claim loads of lolly in this mad (crass) compensation world we live in?

    I find some of the councils decisions offensive...can I claim compensation for this too?

    Up the Gills!

    05 Mar 2010 11:08 PM

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  • Mr.Moore wrote:

    "PIKEY"

    What matters is what everyone one around him thought of it at the time. And if they found it offensive. What does "Pikey" mean to you? If you think it's a type of fish then that maybe ok, but if you think it means a person whom steals items then that could be offensive. So i think the Police where right to do what they did. And it's upto the Courts to decide not the Police. And if a complaint came into the Police after and the offender was able to leave, then there would be a massive cost in finding the offender after the event. Viewing hours of CCTV and locating whitnesses ETC.

    05 Mar 2010 8:32 PM

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  • Jon boy wrote:

    Mr Collingwood

    Mr Collingwood are you sure bruv

    05 Mar 2010 5:46 PM

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  • chris pannell wrote:

    the humour police are watching you!

    Now we know why it's not safe to walk the street as any more. All the coppers are huddled in footie matches trying to fill government targets, nicking people for "racist comments". Massive over-reaction, more soft-option copperin' which will no doubt further endear the police to the local community. Further evidence that Britain has now completely lost its way and is floundering about in a sea of self-inflicted political correctness. Humour and banter is dead. Germany must have been like this around 1937.

    05 Mar 2010 4:19 PM

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  • Gregg wrote:

    Nothing to be proud of

    I hate this whole pikey thing and i do not know why we celebrate it as a title to be proud of. Get off my land.

    05 Mar 2010 4:18 PM

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  • pure pikey wrote:

    pikey

    Calling someone a pikey can be taken as an insult and also be considered a racist remark. But with us Gills fans its only a statement of fact! Up the Gills and bring back the Pikey Army flag

    05 Mar 2010 4:00 PM

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  • Jay wrote:

    Pikey Army

    Great news! Does this mean i can take my huge "Pikey Army" flag back to Gillingham now then? After being told i couldnt take it in as its "Racist".

    Up The Gills! aka The Pikey Army!

    05 Mar 2010 1:56 PM

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  • Dave wrote:

    Wonderful Medway Police

    Have they really nothing better to do - how much did this cost ?

    05 Mar 2010 1:40 PM

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  • Adrian Collingwood wrote:

    Pure Pikey

    I agree with Mr O'Neill that this was a massive waste of public money. I have known Mr O'Neill for many yearsMr O'Neill in fact is probably one of the few people I know who is completely unprejudiced towards travelling folk . Had the police or CPS done their research they would have known the case was ridiculous. Shouting out a comment at a football ground does not make one a racist.

    05 Mar 2010 1:32 PM

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  • Shelley wrote:

    Millwall Fan

    UP THE LIONS


    05 Mar 2010 1:08 PM

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  • Shelley wrote:

    Millwall fan

    Up The Loins,
    When you go to whatch football all the people shout at the players it's only BANTER

    05 Mar 2010 1:02 PM

    Report Abuse

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