Newcastle United ‘fan’ pleads guilty to urinating on Bob Stokoe statue | OneFootball

Appearing before South Tyneside Magistrates Court, a Newcastle United ‘fan’ has admitted urinating on the Bob Stokoe statue outside the Stadium of Light.

Thomas Fleet, aged 21, ordered to pay £250 compensation to Sunderland AFC

Fleet was filmed by a friend on Saturday committing the offence and the footage put up on social media.

The incident is embarrassing enough, urinating on any statue, however, the fact that Bob Stokoe played 261 times for Newcastle United and was a member of the NUFC team to last win a domestic trophy (FA Cup in 1955), adds an extra level of shame, considering he committed the offence whilst wearing a Newcastle United change shirt. Stokoe later going on to be manager of Sunderland and helping them to win the FA Cup in 1973.

Countless Sunderland and Newcastle fans having made their feelings known since the video was posted on social media

Reporting the court proceedings, the BBC detailed:

‘Fleet, of Bertha Street, Ferryhill, County Durham, pleaded guilty to criminal damage and was also fined £40.

“The friend saw it fit to record the incident and that video went viral on the social media application TikTok,” (Prosecutor) Ms Hellevik said.

She told the court it had been “an impulsive act” and that the defendant admitted the offence in an interview with police.

The court heard Fleet was serving a suspended sentence for domestic violence-related offences at the time.

Mitigating, Angus Westgarth described it as “an act of stupidity” which was not premeditated.

“He was an idiot to do what he did and where he did it,” he said.

“It was disrespectful to many, many people.”

He added that Fleet was “embarrassed and upset” about what had happened and that “he’s already paid quite a heavy price”.

Chair of the bench Kay Gilbert said: “You committed this offence while you were on a suspended sentence order.

“We are not going to activate the suspended sentence because it’s a dissimilar offence.”

She encouraged Fleet to work with probation services adding: “You acted impulsively.

“We don’t want to see you back here again.”