Two men have been sentenced for tragedy chanting in connection with fixtures between Manchester United and Liverpool this year.

Both Tommy Jobling and Harry Thorley have been punished for their actions towards Liverpool fans, referring to disasters involving the Merseyside club in the past.

Jobling, of Whitby, North Yorkshire, distributed offensive messages and videos through WhatsApp to a Liverpool fan that he knew from online gaming when the teams played at Old Trafford in March 2024.

The 22-year-old's messages referred to the Hillsborough disaster in an offensive manner, and he was charged with malicious communications, which he pleaded guilty to.

At Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on Friday, September 20, Jobling was handed a 12-month community order, 20 rehabilitation days and 80 hours of unpaid work.

He was also made to pay a fine, costs and victim surcharge which totalled £319.

Meanwhile, Thorley, of Crewe, Cheshire, was found to have been tragedy chanting outside the away turnstiles at Old Trafford 45 minutes before kick-off when the side met on September 1.

The 19-year-old was spotted doing a physical gesture before chanting, with the context of his comments referring to the Heysel Stadium disaster.

Thorley was arrested at the ground and admitted to the offence in custody.

On Monday (September 23), he appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court, where he pleaded guilty to using threatening abusive, insulting words or behaviour.

He was issued a three-year Football Banning Order and was handed a fine, costs and victim surcharge totalling £343.

The conviction was Thorley's second football-related conviction in as many months, having been convicted of battery at North West London Magistrates' Court on August 27 following Manchester United's fixture against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on August 10.

PC Matthew Ford, Force Football Banning Officer at Greater Manchester Police, said: “Like previous seasons, now with the football schedule in full flow we want to make it clear to any supporters still intent on causing distress through any form of tragedy chanting, we will be taking robust action to highlight that we, along with the clubs and vast majority of fans, it will not be tolerated.

“We would also like to remind people that they can continue to report offences direct to us in person, by speaking to officers deployed at games so we can act there and then.

"We will also continue to liaise with both clubs ahead of fixtures to ensure supporter groups are engaged in our proactive approach to identifying offences around tragedy chanting as we understand the concern, distress, and upset this causes whenever fans unfortunately experience it. It has no place in the game.”