Former boxing champion given football ban for using homophobic slurs

A former title-winning boxer has been banned from attending all football matches for three years after admitting chanting homophobic abuse prior to Wrexham's fifth round FA Cup tie against Chelsea.

Sion Yaxley, 29, from Pwllglas, Ruthin, pleaded guilty at Wrexham Magistrates' Court to a public order offence on 7 March.

Deputy District Judge Paul Conlon heard that Yaxley, a father of two, was one of a group of people who were on Regent Street, Wrexham, before the match.

He was warned by police after he was heard chanting homophobic slurs towards a group of Chelsea fans, but continued to hurl insults at the group and was later arrested.

Yaxley, who was crowned the IBO Intercontinental Super Welterweight title holder in 2023, is a Welsh speaker and his defence solicitor said he did not fully understand what the abusive chants meant.

The judge said he found this "hard to believe".

The court was also told that Yaxley had since lost his well-paid job with a security firm and was currently working at a warehouse.

He was said to have lost his good character in his community because of the incident, having previously given up his own time to mentor other young boxers.

The court was told he was very drunk at the time of the offence.

The banning order means Yaxley cannot attend any regulated football match in the UK for three years and must avoid being in any town or city when Wrexham or Wales are playing.

This includes any location where any international games involving UK nations are being played in the UK.

He was also fined £250, and must pay a surcharge of £100 and costs of £85.

Also in court, but dealt with separately for the same offence in the same circumstances, was Joshua Jones, 33, of Aspen Grange, Weston Rhyn, near Oswestry.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence. He was also said to have been drunk at the time of the offence and, like Yaxley, he was of previous good character.

A building site manager and father of two, Jones was fined £500, with a £200 surcharge and £85 costs.

He received the same three-year football banning order.