Chelsea captain John Terry arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London PIC: Lewis Whyld/PA Wire

Chelsea star John Terry in dock for “racially abusing” Anton Ferdinand

Monday, July 9, 2012
12:17 PM

Chelsea star John Terry said “f****** black c***” to QPR player Anton Ferdinand after taunts about his alleged affair with a team-mate’s girlfriend, a court heard.

England mainstay Terry appeared in court this morning (Monday) to face a charge of racially abusing Ferdinand.

Appearing in the dock dressed in a light grey suit, white shirt and pink tie, he denied the charge.

The alleged incident took place during a Premier League match between Chelsea and Queen's Park Rangers, on October 23 last year.

The court heard that Terry told Ferdinand to "f*** off" and also called him a "f****** knobhead" as the pair exchanged insults.

Terry maintains he was only sarcastically repeating words that Ferdinand wrongly thought he had used.

Crown prosecution barrister, Duncan Penny, said: "The Crown's case is that the words were abusive and insulting in a straightforward sense and that the term 'f****** black c***' was uttered as an abusive insult demonstrating hostility based on Mr Ferdinand's membership of a racial group.

"They were uttered by the defendant in response to goading by Mr Ferdinand on the issue of his extra-marital affair, rather than by way of exaggerated and instant querying of a perceived false allegation."

In a statement to the FA five days after the incident, John Terry admitted he and Ferdinand exchanged "verbals" during the match.

"We're still having a, sort of, ding-dong, if you like. That's when, as I said before, he said 'black c***', he said.

"Now clearly, as I said before, I don't think he's calling me a black c***, but at the same time I take quite a strong offence."

The England defender said he was not offended by the taunts about the alleged affair with Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend, because "it's not the first time I've heard it, so it's with a pinch of salt a little bit now".

The trial continues.