Former Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand has told a trial jury he was unaware of being targeted by racist abuse including an alleged monkey gesture by a fan during a Premier League match.
Jamie Arnold is accused of causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress to Mr Ferdinand by using “threatening, abusive or insulting” words or behaviour at the Wolves v Manchester United match at Molineux on May 23 last year.
During the prosecution’s opening of the 32-year-old’s trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, footage was played to jurors, allegedly showing him making a racist gesture.
Mr Ferdinand had been at the game – the first time fans had returned to ground since the start of the coronavirus pandemic – working as a television pundit for BT Sport, the court heard.
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