Paul Gascoigne pleads guilty over 'insidious racism'

Former England football star Paul Gascoigne has pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated offence.

The 49-year-old admitted using "threatening or abusive words or behaviour" during An Evening With Gazza show in Wolverhampton.

Dudley Magistrates' Court was told that Gascoigne humiliated a black security guard working at the show, asking him: "Can you smile please, because I can't see you?"

Sky News correspondent Tom Parmenter said: "The security guard was standing in a dimly lit area of the stage.

"There were instantly people in the audience who were offended, some decided to leave."

Gascoigne, who lives in Dorset, was handed a £1,000 fine and ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation.

Dudley Magistrates' Court heard that Gascoigne told police the comment was "just good humour, nothing else".

He added: "I'm upset if I have upset him."

The ex-England player had been due to stand trial, but changed his plea to guilty before the first witness was called to give evidence.

After the change of plea, District Judge Graham Wilkinson said Gascoigne had admitted "the sort of insidious racism" that needed to be challenged.

He added: "As a society it is important that we challenge racially aggravated behaviour in all its forms.

"It is the creeping 'low-level' racism that society still needs to challenge. A message needs to be sent that in the 21st century society that we live in, such action, such words will not be tolerated.

"It is not acceptable to laugh words like this off as some form of joke."

The judge told Gascoigne: "We live in the 21st century, grow up with it or keep your mouth closed."