A POLICE officer has spoken of his disappointment at the punishment given to seven football fans charged with racial chanting at a match.

Hartlepool residents Stanley Watson, 46, and Jonathan Watson, 19, both of Callander Street, Michael Hutchinson, 37, of Newquay Close, Paul Hind, 38, of Honiton Way, Paul Gale, 29 of Flint Walk, Stephen Booth, 30, of Young Street, and Phillip Bailey, 41, of Mason Walk, appeared at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Magistrates watched a video taken by police at the Hartlepool match against Oldham on September 6 last year at Hartlepool's Victoria Park ground.

The video showed the seven chanting racial abuse at Oldham fans. Yesterday, they all changed their pleas to guilty and were fined £150 with £100 costs.

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Steve Burke said he had hoped the men would be banned from matches.

He said: "I am disappointed with the outcome. They are still allowed to go to football matches and further abuse people at their will."

Hind and Hutchinson were represented by John Relton, Booth by Barry Gray and both Watsons, Bailey and Gale by Bob Spragg.

Speaking on behalf of all seven, Mr Spragg told the court: "All have asked me to apologise for the language they used.

"The late guilty plea is because there was reluctance on their part to accept any of them were in any way racist.

"There was clearly goading coming from Oldham fans, and the Hartlepool fans responded. Somebody started the inappropriate chants and they have joined in the chorus and said it once or twice."

Mr Spragg urged magistrates not to ban them from football grounds.

He said: "Banning orders are there to protect the public from the evil of football violence and the threat of it.

"Looking at the what has happened here, there is no suggestion of any violence or threat of it."

Magistrate Keith Gorton said: "We have given some credit because of the guilty plea, although it was tended somewhat late in the day."