The actions of a football supporter who mocked the death of mascot Bradley Lowery during a match against his favourite team were “utterly deplorable”, a judge has said.

Dale Houghton, 31, admitted a public order offence at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court following an incident at Sheffield Wednesday’s clash with Sunderland on Friday.

Pictures circulated on X, formerly Twitter, showing two men laughing at Wednesday’s Hillsborough Stadium, with one of them – Houghton – holding up a picture of Bradley to the camera.

Sunderland fan Bradley captured the nation’s heart during his battle with neuroblastoma, but succumbed to the illness aged six in 2017.

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He was a mascot for his beloved club and, in the months before his death, led England out at Wembley alongside former Black Cats striker Jermain Defoe.

Houghton, from Rotherham, was bailed and will be sentenced on November 17.

District Judge James Gould told him “your actions are utterly deplorable” and that all sentence options were open, including a prison sentence.

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